Associate Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam of the New York State Court of Appeals. Abdus-Salaam was found dead Wednesday at the age of 65. Hans Pennink/AP hide caption toggle caption Hans Pennink/AP The Two-Way First African-American Female Judge On New York's Top Court Found Dead April 13, 2017 • Associate Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam was found dead on Wednesday in the Hudson River. She was the first African-American woman to be appointed to New York's Court of Appeals.
