In June 2020 Mark Grisanti, a former state senator and a current acting Supreme Court judge in the 8th judicial district was involved in a fight with his neighbors and shoved a Buffalo police officer who was handcuffing Grisanti's wife.
During the incident, Grisanti touted his political connections to Buffalo police and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. Though one officer scolded Grisanti for appearing to try to use his connections to get out of trouble, the police uncharacteristically arranged for Grisanti to speak on the phone to his cousin, a Buffalo police detective, from the back of the squad car.
Erie County DA John J Flynn declined to prosecute Grisanti, raising questions about whether the politically connected judge received special treatment.