Death Of Sheila Abdus-Salaam, 'Pioneer' NY State Judge, Ruled Suicide: Reports

HARLEM, NY — The death of New York Court of Appeals Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam was officially ruled a suicide by the city Medical Examiner Wednesday, months after the former judge was found dead in the Hudson River off the Harlem coastline, according to multiple reports.

The Medical Examiner's findings were first reported by Wall Street Journal law enforcement reporter Zolan Kanno-Youngs.

A spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner's office did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.

The NYPD harbor unit recovered Abdus-Salaam's body from the Hudson River around 1:45 p.m. on April 12, police told Patch. On May 3, the NYPD closed its investigation into the death and announced police would cease collecting new evidence in the case and would turn over all evidence to the city Medical Examiner.

Abdus-Salaam lived on West 131st Street in Harlem, according to police records. She served as an associate judge on the New York State Court of Appeals. When she was appointed to the court by Cuomo in 2013, she became the first black woman, and the first Muslim, to ever take the seat.

After her death, several of Abdus-Salaam's friends and colleagues hailed her as a pioneer in their tributes.

"As the first African-American woman to be appointed to the State’s Court of Appeals, she was a pioneer," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "Through her writings, her wisdom, and her unshakable moral compass, she was a force for good whose legacy will be felt for years to come."

Photo by Hans Pennink/Associated Press