It appears you think things are changing for the better. I disagree. In fact I expect things to get much much worse before there is any chance of things getting better....
Things don't really get better or worse I guess, people just change from stupid to smart.
Civil asset forfeiture is one of many indications that "law enforcers" have the same level of corruption as non "law enforcers", the main difference being only that there is no accountability for "law enforcers".
Your case is not even the most extreme. In a lot of places it is simple theft with little attempt to camouflage. When a police department can "confiscate" anything, the simple fact that they agree to use a law like that should be a warning to others.
With regard to the judge, who knows if she committed suicide?
1) She was on antidepressant medication, which most people would say points toward suicide...
But a person being managed with antidepressants is less likely to commit suicide. Also, taking antidepressants in the U.S. is like taking aspirin http://www.businessinsider.com/countries-largest-antidepressant-drug-users-2016-2
2) Some sources in the police department appear to have pushed the "suicide" angle in a way that should raise suspicions. For example one of the first things fed to reporters was that she had a family history of suicide. Actually though not true.
3) Likewise, police said they had video of her in another area the previous day, wearing exercise clothes. In other words she exercised every day by walking in a certain area. A person should wonder why the police looked for surveillance video of her from the previous day a half mile from where she was found. There are implications that should warrant skepticism at the least.
Was this judge a genuine threat to the status quo in NY? She was.
Does NYPD have a history of tolerating dirty tricks by its officers, including murders, committed for 'political' purposes? They do.
It isn't clear whether the judge killed herself, and obviously there will be no real investigation, it's just something to notice.