C. Vernon Mason

C. Vernon Mason is an African-American former civil rights lawyer who was involved in several high-profile cases prior to his disbarment in 1995.

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In 1987, Mason was one of three legal advisors to Tawana Brawley during the high-profile legal case sparked by her false rape allegation, alongside Al Sharpton and Alton H. Maddox. During the case, Sharpton, Maddox and Mason, based on little to no evidence, claimed that police officer Harry Crist Jr, who had recently committed suicide, had been one of Brawley's attackers, and later accused assistant district attorney Steven Pagones of being another after he established an alibi for Crist. They also allegedly participated in a Racial Hoax during the case, accusing the state government of protecting the attackers because they were white and claiming that the KKK, the IRA and the Mafia were aiding in the cover-up. After Brawley was revealed to be lying, Pagones successfully sued Sharpton, Maddox and Mason for Defamation, and Mason was ordered to pay him $185, 000 in compensation.

In 1995, Mason was accused of misconduct by the New York State Appellate Division, citing 66 instances of misdemeanours committed by Mason, notably lying during cases where a client's liberty was at stake. Mason was subsequently disbarred for these offences, and has since alleged that it was intended to punish him for his involvement in the Brawley case.