Judge Rules in False Imprisonment Case Against Former Southampton Town Councilman

A State Supreme Court Judge recently ruled against James Malone, a former Southampton Town Councilman, who was accused of assaulting and imprisoning a local contractor back in 2011, according to multiple reports.

Anthony Prosano, a former Hampton Bays resident, filed a lawsuit against Malone claiming he did not pay him after contracting him to do $52,000 worth of renovations to Malone’s Hampton Bays home in November 2011, according to 27east.

When Prosano confronted Malone at the Suffolk County Center in Riverside, where he worked as a county law clerk until January 2014, after filing a mechanic’s lien against the house for $7,971.52, Prosano claimed he locked him inside his office, refusing to let him leave and abused him verbally, according to 27east.

Malone claimed Prosano broke a window in his home to get back his tools and was holding Prosano for breaking and entering, and he eventually let him go, according to Newsday.

Malone was found liable by Justice Mark Partnow for false imprisonment, which seeks damages over $1 million and assault, which seeks ”unspecified damages” according to Newsday.

In addition, Partnow ruled in favor of Prosano for the unpaid lien and the breach of the original contract to remodel the house, according to Newsday.

“Well, my client is obviously ecstatic that the court found in his favor and believes that Mr. Malone has done some very bad things and needs to be held accountable,” Marc Held of the Held and Hines law firm of Brooklyn and New York City which represented Prosano told 27east. “Mr. Prosano is a young man with few financial resources, so he did the only thing he could—go to court to seek justice and hope that it would be served.”

Malone filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. He also countered for defamation and slander for over $11 million in damages against Prosano, but Partnow’s order dismissed the claims, according to Newsday.

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