What a great scam! I love it!

Inmate seeks to copyright name

A Rikers Island inmate wants the Queens judge and prosecutor handling his drug case to pay him $500,000 any time either one uses his name without permission.

James Walker is one of many state and federal inmates nationwide who are copyrighting their names and filing substantial liens against the judges and lawyers involved in their cases.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown's office last week filed civil court papers demanding that the New York Department of State prove that Walker's claim has merit.

Just the notion of copyrighting a common name -- especially the name James Walker - is bogus, Brown said in litigation filed in State Supreme Court in Jamaica.

A spokesman for the state attorney general's office, which represents the state department in litigation, declined to comment.

Brown also contends that Justice Joseph Grosso and Assistant District Attorney Theresa Tebbett-Koubeck risk irreparable harm to their credit and reputation unless Walker's liens are voided.

The liens were filed on June 20, 2003.

"We are filing suit to protect an assistant district attorney and a Queens Supreme Court justice from being harassed and victimized by a fraudulent court filing which could affect their credit rating," said Patrick Clark, a spokesman for Brown.

"The relief that we are seeking is to ask the court to void the lien, expunge the records of it and order the filing of a termination statement, which declares that it is not an effective lien," Clark said.

Walker, 38, address unknown, is being held on $100,000 bail and awaiting trial on a charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance, officials said. He was arrested on Jan. 12, 2002, for allegedly trying to sell 17 bags of crack cocaine. The drugs were recovered from his girlfriend's apartment at Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach 86th Street, officials said.

Walker's next court date on the criminal matter is April 12. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison. His next civil case date is March 24.

His criminal attorney, Russell Rothberg, could not be reached for comment.

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/queens/nyc-name0309,0,6332859.story?coll=nyc-manheadlines-queens