Am Ex sued for aiding fugitive search

NEW YORK, July 22 (UPI) -- A former New York attorney who pleaded guilty to statutory-rape charges is suing American Express for allegedly helping authorities during his 2006 flight.

James Colliton, 44, served 19 months in jail and was disbarred after being found, reportedly with the assistance of American Express, in Toronto after prosecutors sought him on allegations of having sex with three underage girls. Now he alleges his rights were violated, The New York Post reported Tuesday.

"They no longer entertain a presumption of innocence," Colliton said to the Post. "Instead, American Express puts on its Batman suit and says, 'We'll tell authorities his every move.'"

Colliton's Manhattan Court suit filing seeks $4.9 million and says he was "unlawfully detained in three different Canadian prisons" Feb. 24-27, 2006.

American Express declined comment, saying that its attorneys hadn't seen the lawsuit.