DETROIT (WXYZ) — What started as an alleged spitting incident involving Judge Greg Mathis and a valet has now spiraled into allegations that an associate of the judge attempted to make a secret payoff to let the matter just go away.
"I heard the same thing," said Attorney Karri Mitchell who is representing Charles Smith, the valet who actually owns the valet service.
RELATED: Valet claims Judge Mathis spit in his face during dispute in Detroit
Someone close to the case said that an associate of the celebrity judge went to Flood's Bar & Grill last night and asked Smith to get in his vehicle and go for a car ride.
Smith was familiar with the associate and reportedly got in and the two drove off. During that car ride, some believe Smith was offered an undisclosed amount of money to drop the criminal complaint against Mathis.
"There is that allegation," said Mitchell who added that he has to talk to his client in depth about the alleged secret payoff.
The alleged spitting incident took place Friday night outside Flood, which is located in downtown Detroit.
Judge Mathis was upset that Smith had the keys to his Rolls Royce and that kept him waiting when he was ready to leave.
Mathis claims he was made to wait about 40 minutes for Smith to return with his keys. Smith claims he was only gone about 10 or 15 minutes.
Judge Mathis, in an interview with TMZ, said he got into a verbal back and forth with the valet but he denies spitting on him.
Here’s my response to the ridiculous allegations made against me. pic.twitter.com/OOIEXmXrBP
— Judge Greg Mathis (@JudgeGregMathis) August 29, 2019
"I am not a liar," said Charles Smith who was set to talk to reporters at his attorney's office Thursday. However, on the way, Smith said he had to bail on the interview because he wasn't feeling well. He said his heart was racing and he went to the hospital.
Action News was only able to talk to Smith briefly by phone and he denies going for a spin in the Rolls Royce. He said his nerves are shot and the whole case and widespread attention it's garnered have been overwhelming.
Mitchell said he's learned that there is surveillance video from one of Blue Cross Blue Shield's nearby cameras that support his client's claim.
Mitchell said he has to discuss the next step in the case with Smith when he's out of the hospital and feeling better, but Mitchell anticipates filing a lawsuit in the case.
Detroit police are investigating the alleged assault. Mitchell said key evidence may be on the shirt Smith was wearing Friday night.
If they do proceed with a lawsuit, Mitchell said he plans to have DNA from any spit that landed on the shirt analyzed and compared to a sample of Mathis' DNA.
