Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for June 14, 2007 MISSING PERSONS

From the WSIL TV Channel 3 website...

Cairo City Attorney Missing

Union County -- Attorney Patrick Cox and his wife Donna have not been seen for days and the Union County State's Attorney says Mr. Cox may have made off with more than 100 thousand dollars.

According to a civil suit, Cox placed the money in his trust account. The money came from the sale of the Tip Top Tap bar in Cobden. It was sold by the owners during their divorce. State's Attorney Allen James says his department and the ISP are investigating.

State's Attorney Allen James says no one has seen them for days, and Mr. Cox recently missed a court appearance. James said, "It's unusual for him not to be around, not to make his court appearances, so we're concerned." Besides recently serving as the Cairo City Attorney, Cox also ran against James a few years ago. In the past Cox was the public defender in Union County, during which he was charged for contributing to the criminal delinquency of a minor and official misconduct for asking a minor to secretly record a conversation.

These latest allegations paint a grim picture of Mr. Cox, accusing him of being hung-over and having to be assisted out of bed the day of the sale of the bar. The money that was supposed to pay off the mortgage, but allegedly bounced. James says they are more concerned about making sure nothing bad has happened to the couple. No formal charges have been filed against Patrick Cox.

From the KFVS TV Channel 12 website...

Search underway for attorney, wife, money

By: Heartland News

UNION COUNTY, Ill. - Southern Illinois police search for a Union County attorney and his wife.

Police say no one has seen Patrick Cox and his wife since last week.

The Union County state's attorney Allen James says more than $100,000 is missing out of an attorney trust fund. It's a fund that police say Cox had access to.

"We're confident they've both left the area. Exactly where they are we do not know. We're concerned for both of their well-beings and their whereabouts, and to these allegations," said James.

A judge granted a court order Monday to freeze the account Cox held as an attorney's trust fund for some of his clients.

He worked as a public defender and defense attorney in Union County in the past and ran for the state's attorney office on the Green party ticket. Cairo leaders dismissed him as city attorney in May.

James says all of the attorneys in Union County are willing to help Patrick Cox sort it all out.

Illinois state troopers are heading up the investigation.

From the Southern Illinoisan...

Union County attorney missing since Thursday

BY CALEB HALE, THE SOUTHERN

UNION COUNTY - Authorities are searching for an Anna attorney missing since last week while a divorce client alleges he's stolen money from her.

Patrick Cox, a former Union County public defender and 2004 candidate for state's attorney, hasn't been seen since last Thursday, say local officials, including State's Attorney Allen James.

James said Wednesday evening Illinois State Police, the Illinois Attorney General's office and the state Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission are involved in a search for Cox and his wife. James contacted both the attorney general and ARDC on Wednesday.

State police would not confirm or deny they are taking part in an investigation.

Attorney general spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler made the following statement on the matter late Wednesday night: "We have been requested to assist and will be talking to the state's attorney and state police about possible next steps (today)."

There are no charges or warrants for Cox's arrest, and the situation is not being treated as a criminal matter yet, James said.

"We're upset he (Cox) is gone. We're just concerned about where he might be and what's going on," he said.

Cox was last seen about the same time a client he was representing in a divorce discovered money was missing from a trust account to which Cox had access. She was tipped off when a $44,000 mortgage check Cox wrote from the account bounced, even though the client was supposed to have had $117,000 remaining in it, says Jonesboro attorney Susan Burger, who is representing Cox client's husband.

Part of the money in the trust account belongs to the husband, Burger said.

Cox's client contacted Cox and he assured her the matter was a clerical error and that he would fix it, according to court pleadings filed this week by Burger to freeze the trust account.

Cox has not been seen since.

Burger said she attempted to reach Cox several times over the weekend, even traveling to his house and private office along South Green Street in Anna. She wasn't able to reach him.

The Southern Illinoisan attempted to contact Cox at his house and office in Anna without success. Cox's house appeared empty Wednesday evening.

From the WPSD TV Channel 6 website...

Union County Attorney A No Show At Court

Update: June 18, 2007

Melissa Crabtree, NewsChannel 6

A Union County couple says they're financial future is in the hands of an attorney who may have taken off with their life savings.

The Illinois Attorney General is investigating Pat Cox for possible misuse of his client's money.

It all started when Susan Adams hired Cox to handle her divorce settlement. Cox was given control of the money the Adams made from the sale of their Cobden business.

The Adams found out the money was missing from their account at the bank after a mortgage payment bounced.

Kirk Adams' attorney Susan Burger says Cox is hiding out with thousands of dollars of their money.

Pat Cox was supposed to be in court with his client Susan Adams to finalize their divorce today. He did not show up and nobody can reach him.

Its very disturbing because I think lawyers don't have a good reputation to begin with and the public looks at something like this and say theres another crooked lawyer, said Susan Burger, Kirk Adams attorney.

Meanwhile, word of Pat Cox's unexplained time-away has reached competing law firms. Womick law firm is asking "Where is Pat Cox?" in one newspaper advertisement on stands. It reads: If he's your attorney, you might want to reconsider."

Susan and Kirk Adams plan to move forward with their divorce. The judge is giving Susan Adams 30 days to find a new lawyer.

NewsChannel 6 tried to reach Patrick Cox but his office said they don't know where he is or when he's expected back.