'Smut-filled' deposition of lawmaker should be sealed, his lawyer says
A lawyer for a Kentucky lawmaker facing a retaliation lawsuit has asked a judge to seal his client’s “smut-filled” deposition.
Lawyer William Johnson of Frankfort, Kentucky, says the smut arose from questions asked by opposing counsel, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. The questions, Johnson said, are “the kind of smut and gossip that the media and the public would love, but has nothing to do with the relevance of this case.”
Johnson said his client was asked about House members who aren’t connected to the lawsuit, and the questions were “so scurrilous and smut-filled that they should not be in the public domain.”
Parts of the video deposition of Johnson’s client, state Rep. Will Coursey, have already been posted on the Page One Kentucky blog, but it has not been filed in the court record, the story says.
Lawyer Thomas Clay of Louisville, represents the plaintiff, legislative staffer Nicole Cusic. Clay admits he released the deposition, but he says he did so to counter Coursey’s allegations that Cusic was “trying to cash in” by smearing his name. Cusic has claimed Coursey transferred her after she accused him of inappropriate conduct toward female staffers.
Coursey has denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit against Cusic.
Judge Thomas Wingate said he’s inclined to toss the depositions of Coursey and Cusic, the Courier-Journal says. He would allow them to be taken again with lawyers for all parties present.
Hat tip to Above the Law.
