Former prosecutor and judge Clifford J. Minor has confessed to taking a bribe, procuring a false confession, lying to investigators, and falsifying documents. Before serving as a prosecutor and a judge, Minor was a police officer. He later ran for mayor of Newark.
At the heart of the case is a confession by Jamal Muhammad to a gun charge. The actual culprit was Abdul Williams, but Williams had a much longer record and would have received a long sentence. Minor took $3,500 in two payments from Williams to act as Mr. Muhammad’s lawyer and arranged the confession (which Minor knew to be false). Remarkably, Muhammad was paid only $1,500 to take the fall. If this were a legal transaction, Minor would have been accused of ineffective counsel to boot.
Minor, 68, pleaded guilty to six criminal charges.
He was at one time the chief administrative judge in Newark.
Source: New York Times as first seen on ABA Journal
@ eniobob
Yes, I’m sure that Clifford Minor is concerned mainly about himself.
What is the legal position then of his clients?
Blouise
1, April 8, 2011 at 12:43 pm
AY,
“I am getting the Piss and Vinegar back…” … yep
Had to look that one up,:=)
Kay,
Again…You speak of what you do not know….the Family Court System will be Federal….soon….and Yes…the Court can take some cases related to these issues if the forum is more convient…
You piss in your own oatmeal and are stuck eating the flavor…taste real good… I bet…
At Anonymously YOurs
Actually I relied not only on American Jurisprudence but on a Federal Appellate Court decision quoted in AJ
Bankers Mortgage Co. v. United States, 423 F. 2d 73, 78 (5th Cir. 1970), says “Although the Rule by its terms does not limit motion practice to the court which rendered the judgment” paragraph 10 and continues “Two types of procedure to obtain relief from judgments are specified in the rules as it is proposed to amend them. One procedure is by motion in the court and in the action in which the judgment was rendered. The other procedure is by a new or independent action to obtain relief from a judgment, which action may or may not be begun in the court which rendered the judgment.” So Lamm specifically misquoted the 5th Circuit both as to whether a 60b(3) motion can be brought as an independent action and as to whether it can be brought in a different court.
The 5th Circuit continues “procedural differences in the motion practice and the independent action, but these have not been found to raise due process considerations which would bar treating a Rule 60(b) motion as an independent action.”
Furthermore, the law passed by Congress is clear that although there is a time limit on an action filed as a motion in the originating court, “(d) Other Powers to Grant Relief. This rule does not limit a court’s power to: (1) entertain an independent action to relieve a party from a judgment, order, or proceeding; (2) grant relief under 28 U.S.C. § 1655 to a defendant who was not personally notified of the action; or (3) set aside a judgment for fraud on the court.” See the notes on the Cornell Legal Institute web site
Kay:
“. He probably doesn’t have funds to return their payments and their files might be at risk too.”
I would think this is the least of his own personal concerns right now.
AY, Kay simply does not get it.
I remember an incident some years ago in which a litigant was deliberately rude and insulting to a judge at a service station while said judge was putting gas in his car. It cost the litigant dearly, beginning about one minute after Court reconvened. As a friend of mine likes to say, “When they put on those black robes, they take on aspects of the Deity.”
Despite our best efforts, Kay has not gotten the memo.
@ Anonymously Yours
It sounds like Gill Hill was involved in something related to child custody or not paying child support or alimony. Those are state court issues not recognized in federal court.
@eniobob
What would you think of an attorney regulation process that involves a website with published complaints and rebuttals? Then there would be a record for prospective clients before they are suddenly told that their lawyer no longer has a law license. It sounds like Clifford J. Minor’s clients are in real trouble. He probably doesn’t have funds to return their payments and their files might be at risk too.
So Foolish Kay,
You were held in civil contempt for relying on the American Jurisprudence… good one….was the food any better?
“eniobob
1, April 7, 2011 at 10:52 am
Another local,who back in the day was held in high regard.It was not uncommon to run into the Judge at certain events,what a shame.”
AY,
I’m so late for work…, but I’ve missed all of you… and I just keep typing. I’ll get back to this after work — later this evening.
Glad to hear about the “Piss and Vinegar” — we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, fighting the good fight… but, again, I’m so very sorry…
AY,
“I am getting the Piss and Vinegar back…” … yep
Kay:
“{So Clifford Minor is not actually disbarred at this time? I don’t think that he is in custody so I guess he might actually still be practicing law since he has a valid working phone number at his law practice.”
“As a condition of his guilty plea, Minor is required to file a notice with the New Jersey State Bar permanently surrendering his license to practice law, with prejudice, effective immediately, and to comply with all procedures to surrender his license as required by the state bars in all states in which he is licensed to practice. Finally, Minor forfeited $8,500 he was paid in connection with his representation of Muhammad, which constituted or was derived from proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses.”
Foolish Kay,
You don’t ever have to have met the Judge…alls you had to do was file something that was summarily dismissed…. for Civil contempt… the Judge can hold you in such for continuation of harassment of a person…. Ask Gill Hill’s attorney….he can speak from personal experience…You can too it appears…
It was actually less than two years though. Nottingham dismissed my case 02-cv-1950 in March 2004 and he held the first civil contempt hearing in September 2005.
I filed in the D of Columbia under Rule 60b(3)(c) relying on American Jurisprudence as an authority.
AN,
I went through the full emotional roller coaster….I think SWM can verify that fact…. as well as Buddha Tangentially….lol….one hell of a ride….one hell of a ride… the edge was edgy….but today….I am getting the Piss and Vinegar back…
Excuse me? What are you talking about?
I said that prior to receiving an order to appear for a so called civil contempt proceeding, which conflicted with 28 USC 401, that I had never MET Judge Nottingham. Which is true as you can see if you download the docket report for 02-cv-1950. Nottingham didn’t have any oral hearings and I was not hanging around the courthouse or following the judge around.
AY,
I didn’t know about your loss. As was the case with OS, words escape me. To lose a child would be unbearable…
You’re in my thoughts, as well.
Nothing to prove to you Kay…. You are a Liar….Your revelations of the case being dismissed 2 years prior after you had stated that you had never filed anything in this Judges court….but went out of state and filed the actions….etc….or what am I missing….the next lie? I am gonna pull a cheap shot and just say I can’t wait…
OS,
My thoughts are with you… I saw the picture of your dear Reed when he was young and it broke my heart… I can’t find the right words right now, but you’ll continue to be in my thoughts…
Kay asks AY: “Go ahead, prove you are a licensed practicing lawyer.”
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Kay, you have worn out your welcome. No one has to prove anything to you. Nobody cares any more. You are talking to yourself, as you have been doing for the past two years. At one point, some of us listened to you and tried to help as best we could under the circumstances of the limitations of the intertoobz.
Change the subject, talk about how you are going to rebuild your life. A Federal Circuit Judge can do damn near anything they please, and do it with impunity. If you try to lecture a sitting Federal Circuit Judge on what he or she cannot do, you will find the full weight of the United States sitting on your squashed carcass. Move on. Please.
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On another topic, I do appreciate the kind condolences you expressed for my grandson in another thread. There is hope for you, because I know you have a heart. Please put your heart to good use and do some volunteer work for a worthy cause.