Women’s Group Presses Judge in Monserrate Trial

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'The National Organization for Women in New York State is calling on the judge trying State Senator Hiram Monserrate on domestic violence charges to give him “the maximum sentence allowable by law.”

But Mr. Monserrate has not yet gone on trial on charges that he slashed his companion’s face during an argument on Dec. 19 — that starts on Monday in State Supreme Court in Queens. And he certainly has not been convicted.

To the outrage of his lawyers, the women’s group is asking its supporters to reach out to the jurist who is hearing the case as judge and jury. Mr. Monserrate decided this week to have his guilt or innocence decided by a judge in a bench trial rather than by a 12-member jury of his peers.

Joseph Tacopina, Mr. Monserrate’s lead lawyer, who was alerted to the campaign by one of the senator’s constituents who had received the appeal, called it “inappropriate, improper and offensive” and said he would offer a legal objection when the case opens on Monday.

“They’re trying to improperly persuade the fact finder,” Mr. Tacopina said in an interview. “It’s akin to writing a letter to a juror.”