Democrats suggest candidate for Babylon court

Babylon Democrats have recommended that Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone name a son of former GOP state appellate judge John Copertino to a vacant Babylon district court seat.

Robert Stricoff, the town's Democratic chairman, said the party recommended Carl Copertino, a Deer Park lawyer who now works as a Metropolitan Transportation Authority attorney. He will fill the vacancy left by cross-endorsed Republican District Court Justice John Iliou, who was elected to county court last fall.

John Copertino, who retired in 2004, was a judge for 35 years. Carl Copertino would have to run in November to keep the $122,700 a year judgeship -- and is expected to get both major parties' endorsement. -- Rick Brand