Men's rights lawyer, now dead, is suspect in fatal shooting at federal judge's home
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A lawyer has been identified as the prime suspect in a Sunday evening shooting that killed the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas and wounded her lawyer husband.
The FBI identified the suspect as now-deceased lawyer Roy Den Hollander, who had been involved in a case challenging the all-male draft before Salas, report the New York Times, Law360, NJ.com, the Associated Press, the New Jersey Law Journal and Law.com.
Den Hollander, 69, was found dead Monday in upstate New York after apparently shooting himself.
Salas’ son, 20-year-old college student Daniel Anderl, was fatally shot Sunday after opening the door of the family’s home in North Brunswick, New Jersey, at about 5 p.m., according to an account provided to the New York Times by Salas’ older brother, Carlos Salas. The judge’s husband, 63-year-old criminal defense lawyer Mark Anderl, went to investigate and was shot several times. The judge was in the basement.
The gunman was dressed as a FedEx driver.
Mark Anderl was hospitalized in stable condition, Carlos Salas told the New York Times on Monday. Anderl’s law partner, David Oakley, told Law360 that Anderl was in surgery for a second time on Monday afternoon and was in critical condition.
Den Hollander also had the name and photo of New York Chief Judge Janet DiFiore in his car, according to a court spokesperson who talked to the New York Times.
Salas had allowed Den Hollander’s case to proceed in a 2015 decision, according to the New York Times. But Den Hollander had criticized the judge for moving too slowly and described her in his self-published book as “a lazy and incompetent Latina judge appointed by Obama.” He also railed against “Feminazi rule” in the book.
Den Hollander left the draft case last year after asking Boies Schiller Flexner partner Nicholas Gravante Jr. to take over, Gravante told the New York Times. Den Hollander said he had terminal cancer and couldn’t continue.
Gravante and Den Hollander had both worked as associates at Cravath Swaine & Moore in the 1980s.
Den Hollander had worked as a contract lawyer at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in New York from 2011 to 2014, according to Law.com. A firm spokesperson told Law.com that Den Hollander worked on a matter for the firm through a temporary agency and was never an employee.
He also worked as a contract lawyer doing document review at several firms, including Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; and Reed Smith, according to Law.com.
The contract work at the law firms is not listed on Den Hollander’s online resume.
Den Hollander called himself an “anti-feminist” lawyer and had filed lawsuits seeking to bar ladies’ night discounts at bars and a women studies program at Columbia University. He called women “the real oppressors” in a 2008 interview with Fox News.
Den Hollander is a 1985 graduate of George Washington University Law School.
Another men’s rights lawyer who had challenged the all-male draft, Marc Angelucci, recently argued his case before the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Angelucci was was shot and killed outside his California home on July 11.
The FBI has identified Roy Den Hollander as the primary subject in the attack that occurred at the home of the Honorable Esther Salas. Den Hollander is now deceased. Individuals who believe they have relevant information should contact us at 973-792-3000, Press Option 2.
— FBI Newark (@FBINewark) July 20, 2020
