CONEY ISLAND — Members of the New York State Unified Court System and its fraternal organizations and unions joined the Brooklyn Cyclones for Courts Night.
The event took place at Maimonides Park the evening of July 17, honoring several within the system, including the late Chief Joseph Baccellieri Jr., commanding officer and chief of Training at the New York State Court Officers Academy.
New York State Ceremonial Court Unit. Photo: Mario Belluomo/Brooklyn Eagle
Baccellieri oversaw the training and operations of thousands of court officers who safeguard the state’s busiest and most high-profile courthouses. His leadership spanned decades, during which he shaped modern judicial security protocols and built a rigorous academy that prepared officers for complex courtroom environments.
Baccellieri, who dedicated more than 40 years to the New York State Court System, died May 3 at the age of 66.
Mike Baccellieri, son of Chief Baccellieri, said, “He influenced a lot of people and had an impact on a lot of lives. He’s a hero to all of us. We miss him dearly.”
Ceremony honorees
The ceremony began with a wreath laying at the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance, honoring 9/11 first responders Captain Harry Thompson, Officer Thomas Jurgens and Officer Mitchel Wallace, along with a bagpipe and drum performance.
Frank Sheridan, president of New York State Courts Emerald Society, chief deputy county clerk and deputy commissioner of jurors, alongside the ceremonial wreath. Photo: Mario Belluomo/Brooklyn Eagle
Members of the Baccellieri family, Michael and Jennifer, threw out the first pitches in honor of the late chief.
Several other late court employees were also acknowledged with a moment of silence. They included Darren Greggs, Onika Bright, former Court Attorneys Association of the City of New York President Brenda Levinson, Court Officer Wilson Louie, Senior Court Officer David Joseph and Lt. Theodore Leoutsakos.
In addition, each fraternal organization and union recognized various current Unified Court System staff on the Cyclones’ scoreboard, including Senior Management Analyst Carmen Mitchell; Principal Court Analyst Krista Sessoms; Associate Court Clerk Karen Uniake; Senior Court Clerk Andrew Park; Associate Court Attorneys Shivangi Kumar and Andrea Louie; Court Officer Fernando Pena; Court Officer Elaine Bacci; Major Anthony Mung; Court Officer Wilson Chan; Court Officer David Joseph; Assistant Deputy Chief Clerk Carlton Wallace; Senior Court Clerk Celeste Guzman-Birch; John Cardillo; Denee Vadell; Sergeant Anita Gadsden; Court Officer Leo J. Comice; Senior Court Officer Pasquale Novella; Senior Court Officer Anthony Desio; Court Officer Michelle Aprile; Senior Court Reporters Frances Royce; Denee Vadell; Su Yin McWilliams; Robert T. Winckler; Oscar Goris; Nikki Sterling; Lt. Edward Bernstein; Court Officer Robert Anderson; and Court Officer Robert Moran.
Frank Sheridan, president of the New York State Courts Emerald Society, chief deputy county clerk and deputy commissioner of jurors, told the Eagle that the idea for Courts Night was hatched in 2024.
“We did a juror appreciation night that summer where we came down to the stadium, set up a table and basically told people about jury service and the court system,” Sheridan said.