The justice's lawyer, Bruce P. McMoran, said Rivera-Soto "acted like any father would, and he doesn't believe he did anything wrong." McMoran said he considered the accusations to be relatively minor and did not expect a heavy penalty.
McMoran noted that according to the complaint, Rivera-Soto had asked some officials to treat his son's legal proceedings like any other. "People are going to know who you are, but you don't want them to go out of their way for you," McMoran said.
The complaint, written by disciplinary counsel Candace Moody of the state advisory panel, says Rivera-Soto "used or allowed the power and prestige of his office . . . to influence or advance the private interests of his family and his son."
J. Ward Larkin, father of the Haddonfield football captain, Conor Larkin, said in an interview last night that he had sent the state a letter of concern and was subsequently interviewed by judiciary officials.
Larkin said Rivera-Soto was "pretending that my child was the bully. But the real bully is the father."
Larkin said that after the disagreements, "my son and his were playing next to each other. I don't think it was the kid."
The dispute started in September when Rivera-Soto's son, a sophomore on the football team, claimed that Conor Larkin harassed and struck him. After Conor Larkin received only a warning, Rivera-Soto called school officials to complain.
Rivera-Soto's son is referred to as "C.R." in yesterday's filing. According to the justice's biography, his middle son's name is Christian.
The justice told the coach, Frank DeLano, that in his "field," he often must make "critical assessments" based on "who has more to lose," according to the complaint.
