Maday to pass on escape opportunities, waiving right to appear

In making a couple of court appearances today in Chicago, Robert Maday gave up any opportunity to attempt another escape - during status hearings, anyway.

Maday, the convicted bank robber who made headlines in September with a 26-hour escape and crime spree across the Northwest suburbs, had appearances in U.S. District Court for status hearings in his 2008 bank robberies and the violation of parole in committing those crimes. Both were continued 60 days until April 20.

Maday appeared in an orange jumpsuit guarded by three U.S. marshals and shackled at the wrists and ankles. He is jailed at the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center about three blocks from the courtroom in the Dirksen Federal Building.

His attorney, Anthony Sassan, asked that Maday be allowed to waive his right to appear at the next hearings, saying, "He'd prefer not to be brought over here for every status hearing."

The request was granted, and Maday will not have to make the manacled trip to the Dirksen Building in April.