DETROIT (WXYZ) - Five of the attorneys who put together the $8.4 Million police whistleblower settlement that touched off the text message scandal in Detroit have been charged with professional misconduct.
HEATHER CATALLO REPORTS IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ON THE RIGHTMichigan’s Attorney Grievance Commission filed professional misconduct charges today. These are not criminal charges – but they are very serious allegations of misconduct that could force some of these high-profile lawyers to be suspended from practicing law.
Assistant City Attorney Valerie Colbert-Osamuede is charged with 5 counts of professional misconduct, including lying to a judge about the existence of the now infamous text messages between former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his chief of staff, Christine Beatty. Colbert-Osamuede’s attorney tells the Action News Investigators that he’s confident the Attorney Discipline Board will determine that her conduct was proper.
Former City Corporation Counsel John Johnson Jr. is facing two counts, including concealing the secret settlement from the court and the Detroit City Council.
Kwame Kilpatrick’s private lawyer for the whistleblower trial—Sam McCargo – is charged with misconduct for covering up Kilpatrick and Beatty’s perjury. His attorney says McCargo welcomes the opportunity to present his case – and believes McCargo will be exonerated.
The Grievance Commission is accusing city-hired private attorney Wilson Copeland II of committing misconduct by failing to tell the Detroit City Council about the secret deal.
And the lawyer who represented former Detroit cops Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope is charged with 5 counts of misconduct. Mike Stefani is in trouble in part because he instructed SkyTel to send the text messages to him, rather than to a Wayne County Judge.
Legal ethics expert Larry Dubin says, “These are serious offenses.”
Dubin used to be the Chair of the Attorney Grievance Commission. He says if the evidence shows the lawyers committed misconduct, they could receive reprimands or be suspended, and there’s a lot at stake.
“I think to a lawyer, your reputation is your most valuable asset. Whether other lawyers trust you, whether judges can trust you, whether you’re a person of your word, and if you’re viewed as not ethical, or your found to have committed professional misconduct, it can affect your right to practice law,” Dubin says.
All of the attorneys will get to make their cases at hearings in July. 7 Action News did contact Mr. Johnson, Mr. Copeland, and Mr. Stefani for comment on this, but so far, we have not heard back from them.
