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Civil Rights Lawyer Ron Kuby to Appear at 'Millionaire Madam' Hearing

By Mary Johnson | March 9, 2012 4:50pm
Anna Gristina, 44, appears in Manhattan Supreme Court to face a charge of promoting prostitution on Mar. 6th , 2012.
Anna Gristina, 44, appears in Manhattan Supreme Court to face a charge of promoting prostitution on Mar. 6th , 2012.
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DNAinfo/Paul Lomax

By Murray Weiss, Shayna Jacobs and Mary Johnson

DNAinfo Staff

MANHATTAN — "Millionaire Madam" Anna Gristina is due back in court Monday for a hearing that will determine whether her attorney, Peter J. Gleason, should be placed under a gag order, sources said. Ron Kuby, a First Amendment and legal-ethics expert, is expected to appear in court on behalf of the defense.

The hearing will also debate whether Gristina, who allegedly made millions running an Upper East Side brothel before she was arrested after a five-year investigation by the district attorney’s public corruption unit, can retain her court-appointed, taxpayer-funded defense attorney, Richard Siracusa.

Gristina, a mother of four, was sent to Rikers Island after she was indicted on Feb. 22 on a single charge of promoting prostitution. Prosecutors claim they have her on tape admitting to raking in millions over the course of 15 years running her business, which provided wealthy men with prostitutes, some of them underage.

Civil rights attorney Ron Kuby.
Civil rights attorney Ron Kuby.
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Louis Lanzano

Gristina’s assets were frozen after her arrest, and the court appointed Siracusa to serve as her attorney. Gleason was referred to her by a family friend and volunteered to join her legal team to assist in her defense.

Since the case went public Gleason has been widely quoted in the media, and the hearing on Monday is expected to determine whether his public remarks warrant some restrictions and perhaps even the issuing of a gag order, sources said.

Kuby, a former radio show host, is expected to appear alongside Gleason to argue that his conduct over the past few days falls within acceptable legal parameters.

Kuby declined to comment on the case.