Attorney: Fulop’s disgraced former chief of staff Akil vouched for Kirk Eady

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The attorney for former Hudson County Jail Deputy Director Kirk Eady, who was sentenced to 21 months in prison last month for wiretapping, mentioned Muhammed Akil – Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s disgraced ex-chief of staff – as someone who could speak to Eady’s character in court papers. 

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By John Heinis/Hudson County View

In a voluminous 88-page court filing dated September 10, the day Eady was sentenced in Newark’s U.S. District Court, Peter Willis – Eady’s attorney in the matter – argues that Eady has been punished enough by losing both his six-figure salary and pension.

“Well, first of all, that $120,000 a year job is gone. That nice pension that he spent 25 years working for, your Honor, that we all look forward to in our day of retirement is gone,” Willis told Judge William H. Walls.

“The State of New Jersey through the Attorney General is going to take his pension. Gone. But that is not enough punishment,” later noting that Eady also lost a part-time, $10,000 a year job with United Airlines.

Willis also makes mention that Eady is 50 years old and has a two-year-old daughter, which he says are reasons why jail time should not be the answer for illegally recording calls between other corrections officers.

More Than a Race, Akil’s non-profit, is referenced as an example of Eady giving back to the community and not being compensated for it (or asking for compensation).

“He ran the Scared Straight Program known as More Than a Race at the Hudson County Jail on his own time, on his own time. This program enlightened many youths on how to become employed with the Department of Corrections and help troubled youths to reenter society.”

“This was not part of his pay. This was on his own time. He served in the summer league for baseball tournaments, where he taught teenagers how to hone their skills while still acting as a personal mentor for many of these young men,” the transcript says.

Akil is mentioned in passing as someone who vouches for Eady volunteering his time with the program.

“According to Mr. Mohammad [sic] Akil, who has known the defendant, and according to Joe Bacchio, an attorney who has known him, he has been very generous with his time over 15 years, plus years directing troubled teens into a positive path, many of whom had no fathers.”

Almost exactly one year ago, Akil, who no longer works in Fulop’s office, came under fire for hate speech from 20 years ago, routinely using homophobic slurs and declaring “all white people have a little Hitler in them.”

While multiple media outlets covered the hate speech aspect of the story, only Hudson County View brought to light details of Akil’s business dealings, including More Than a Race.

The IRS revoked More Than a Race’s 501(c)3) status in May 2013, the same year where several politically connected entities made donations to the organization.

Eady was never mentioned in regards to any of the media coverage pertaining to Akil and/or More Than a Race.

Willis could not immediately be reached at his office while Akil could not be reached by Hudson County View on Thursday.


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