Legal Ethics
Judge Shines Light on Secret Pact to Settle, Hide Text Messages
Posted Feb 6, 2008, 12:49 pm CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss
A Michigan judge has ordered the release of documents indicating that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick settled a police whistle-blower lawsuit to try to hide text messages showing he lied about his relationship with his chief of staff, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Wayne County Circuit Judge Robert Colombo ordered release of the secret settlement agreement and a deposition of the police officers’ lawyer, Mike Stefani, who explained how the settlement was reached.
An anonymous source told the Detroit News that the settlement was triggered by Stefani’s threats to file court documents referring to text messages pointing to an affair between Kilpatrick and his former chief of staff, Christine Beatty. Both had denied an affair when they testified in the officers’ lawsuit.
Legal experts told the Detroit Free Press in a separate story that the lawyers defending the city and the mayor could come under scrutiny if they knowingly used secret pacts to conceal the crime of perjury.
Related Stories
- Courts in Chicago Struggle to Protect Domestic Violence Victims
Oct 10, 2008, 06:03 pm CDT - Conn. Attorney Bribed & Tampered With His Own Client, Jury Finds
Oct 10, 2008, 03:01 pm CDT - Wavering Client Finally Pleads in John Cusack Stalking Case
Oct 10, 2008, 02:43 pm CDT - J&J Paid $68M to Settle Lawsuits Over Birth-Control Patch, News Agency Says
Oct 10, 2008, 12:59 pm CDT
Related Topics
Commenting has expired on this post.
Comments
Posted by David G. Michael - 8 months, 2 days, 9 hours, 18 minutes ago
Well. Isn’t this just like lawyers (that no one has commented yet)? And I do not mean that is a bad thing. This item is just too hot to comment on and--truly--it calls for speculation, unless you have actual knowledge of the documents or alleged deal.