HONORING COURT OFFICERS

On September 11, 2001, a group of court officers rushed into the wreckage of the World Trade Center. Three of them — Captain William “Harry” Thompson, Sergeant Thomas Jurgens and Sergeant Mitchel Wallace — died

Court Officers: Edwin Kennedy , Tyree Bacon, Frances Barry, John Civelia, Gerard Davis, William Faulkner, Gerard Grant, Elayne Kittel, William Kuhrt, Theodore Leoutsakos, Craig Lovich, Patricia Maiorino, Reginald V. Mebane, Al Moscola, Kathryn Negron, Joseph Ranauro, Albert Romanelli, Richard Rosenfeld, Andrew Scagnelli, Mahindra Seobarrat, and Andrew Wender received Medals of Valor in 2002 for their efforts on 9/11.

ATTORNEY OF THE MONTH - Mark Palladino, Esq.

As prosecutor at the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for more than 29 years, Mark Palladino has secured numerous notable trial convictions and continues to work tirelessly every day to ensure justice for victims of crime in Richmond County. As Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials and Court Operations, Palladino is Chief Trial Counsel and as part of his duties supervises all homicide prosecutions at RCDA. 

He is the lead prosecutor for all arson cases and directly oversees the office’s Hate Crimes and Vehicular Crimes Units He manages all Grand Jury matters and procedures and proudly serves on the Staten Island Hate Crimes Task Force, offering his legal expertise as a resource for different communities to learn more about how the office prosecutes hate crimes.

 He has conducted over 60 jury trials to verdict during his career. Among his most notable convictions was the Elena Kieljiches homicide, a conviction in 2017 against Pedro Abad (a former New Jersey police officer) for driving while intoxicated and causing a fatal car crash on the West Shore Expressway that killed two of his passengers and seriously wounded another, and the Leonard Evans and Francis Batama homicides. 

Palladino is the recipient of numerous awards including the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce 2025 Prosecutor of the Year Award, the prestigious 2013 Thomas E. Dewey Medal, and the 2018 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Excellence Award for his commitment to holding drunk and drugged drivers accountable under the law. 

Combining great ability with energy and passion, as well as an unwavering commitment to his profession, Palladino has been a tremendous asset to RCDA and the office’s mission of keeping Staten Island safe.

 Palladino earned his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1991. He began his career in public service in 1994 as Legislative Director and Counsel to Councilman Noach Dear of Brooklyn, where he drafted and researched legislation, coordinated oversight hearings and served as a community and committee liaison. He went on to perform similar duties under Councilman John Fusco on Staten Island before starting his career as a prosecutor at RCDA in August 1997.

Mark checks off the box for genuineness, kindness, and a deep sense of community service. 

His commitment to the Rule of Law is exemplary and a model for all attorneys.

Congratulations to Mark! He truly deserves this recognition and acknowledgment.

Let’s give him a virtual round of applause!

Wagner College Holocaust Center

(August 3, 2026)