A boisterously eccentric defense attorney yesterday accused a Bronx Supreme Court judge of being “homophobic” after the jurist told him to stop “dancing” around “in a flamboyant nature” in his courtroom.
“I know making reference to your, what appeared to be dancing as part of your cross-examination and your flamboyant nature as I addressed it, I hope it won’t happen again,” Justice Richard Lee Price told Robert Feldman. The lawyer is defending a 20-year-old man shot by cops after pulling a knife from his pants in his Bronx home in 2005.
“Just try to control yourself,” the judge said.
The openly gay Feldman, 52, who boasts that he and his 20-something boyfriend are featured on the erotic gay Web site Daddyhunt.com, said, “With all due respect, I mind your characterization of my nature of dancing around and being flamboyant as homophobic.”
The judge said, “If you think that I have done anything improper, you may certainly level a charge wherever it is appropriate . . . You’re certainly free to do that.”
Feldman said later he had no plans to file an official complaint against the judge.
“I give him the benefit of the doubt,” Feldman said. “I happen to think he’s actually a top-notch, top-drawer, intelligent judge . . . I don’t think he really meant to offend. But I do think it’s subconscious homophobia.”
Price, who is chairman of the court’s gender-fairness committee, said in a statement, “I do not know or care about Mr. Feldman’s sexual preference. His allegations are outrageous. My responsibility is to see that the jury is not distracted by his conduct.”
Feldman says he was “gesticulating with my hands” as he cross-examined a police officer in the case against his schizophrenic client, Nicholas Martin, 20.
Cops were summoned to Martin’s home to stop his unruly behavior. Martin maintains that they had no reason to shoot him when he took a knife from his pants and tried to hide it behind a wall unit. Cops say they were justified – and had feared for their lives.
Martin, who was shot twice in the chest but survived, has pleaded not guilty to attempted aggravated assault on a police officer. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.