Update on Maddox v. Prudenti et. al.

The late Justice Bruce Wright would often say that any Black man who is not paranoid is insane. Alton H. Maddox, Jr. filed an appellate brief in Maddox v. Prudenti, et. al. in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in July 2007.
Originally, the appeal was scheduled to be heard during the week of September 24, 2007. Afterwards, the appeal was scheduled for an indefinite date in the future. Maddox is still waiting. “Justice delayed is justice denied.” New York’s judicial system is “infested with racism.
It is rare for a lawyer to successfully sue judges after a wrongful disciplinary proceeding. Originally, the case was assigned in Brooklyn Federal Court to Judge Carolyn B. Amon. This assignment was illegal since it was not made by lottery. Afterwards, the case was assigned to Judge Nina Gershon.
When it was clear that Judge Gershon might have to rule in Maddox’s favor, she abruptly recused herself. She may have been subject to outside pressure. In any event, this recusal occurred without explanation and, therefore, in violation of law. The case was then secretly assigned to Judge Brian M. Cogan without the lottery and in violation of law.
This assignment was not only illegal but it also constituted a conflict-of-interest. Judge Cogan was the former law partner of Robert Abrams who was not only the special prosecutor in the Tawana Brawley investigation but who also filed the disciplinary complaint against Maddox. The assignment was met with vociferous objections by Maddox.
While Maddox was under the impression that the court was deciding his recusal motion with respect to Judge Cogan, the court was secretly assigning Judge Allyne R. Ross to hear and decide the case without according Maddox notice and opportunity to be heard. Judge Ross summarily dismissed the case. Maddox never knew what hit him.
This was a judicial hit. Judge Ross had no knowledge nor appreciation for the facts in the case. To the extent that she did know the law, she refused to apply it to the facts and she ignored judicial precedents. The cost of justice was artificially inflated to cause a miscarriage of justice.
Maddox had alleged in his complaint that New York had failed to fashion a procedure that would allow an innocent lawyer to challenge a disciplinary penalty based on newly-discussed evidence. This procedure is available for civil litigants and criminal defendants in New York. Thus, an equal protection violation is afoot.
Specifically, New York has refused to entertain any claim that Maddox made with respect to his being framed or railroaded. This involved the untruthful claim that Harry Crist, Jr. had killed himself. Also, the untruthful claim that Steven Pagones was not involved in the kidnapping and rape of Tawana Brawley.
New York has also refused to deny the claim of a grand juror in a sworn affidavit that the grand jury report was written by the special prosecutor, Robert Abrams, and not by the grand jury. If true, this would require the suppression of the grand jury report and a finding that Maddox was wrongfully disciplined.
In addition to refusing to deny the claims of grand jury improprieties, New York has also refused to disclose the grand jury records after nearly twenty years. Once a grand jury investigation has been completed, no reason exists to keep the record secret other than to maintain a cover-up.
Throughout his legal career, Maddox operated under the legal principle that “an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Maddox freely intervened in countless cases to help Black people. The Black community has turned a deaf ear to Maddox’s pleas for help even if it means that all Black lawyers will have to readily submit to judicial terrorism.