83-year-old Houston lawyer is accused of slapping the attorney who is suing him
Security camera video posted to YouTube by Greg Enos.
An 83-year-old Houston lawyer was charged with misdemeanor assault last week for allegedly slapping an attorney who is suing him on behalf of a woman contesting attorney fees.
Retired personal injury lawyer Ronald “Ronny” Krist is accused of slapping lawyer Greg Enos at Enos’ Webster, Texas, office on Aug. 21 before a scheduled deposition, the Texas Lawyer reports.
Security cameras recorded the encounter. Krist shakes his finger and swings his arm at Enos. Enos says Krist’s swing made contact, and it was a slap.
Krist’s son Scott, who represents his father in the attorney fee litigation, doesn’t contest that his father slapped Enos.
Ronny Krist “slapped the shit out of him, and deservedly so,” Scott Krist told the Texas Lawyer.
According to Scott Krist, his father was angry because Enos was disrespectful at the beginning of the litigation. Before the slap, Ronny Krist warned Enos not to be disrespectful again or he would “slap the shit” out of him, Scott Krist said. Enos replied that he would like to see Ronny Krist try.
Enos told the Texas Lawyer he doesn’t recall being disrespectful at the beginning of the case. He says that, before the slap, Ronny Krist said he would “kick my ass,” spurring Enos to reply, “I would like to see that happen.”
Enos canceled the deposition of the plaintiff, who claims she isn’t required to pay Krist and two other lawyers a contingent attorney fee of 45% on annuity payments she inherited from her late mother.
The mother was paying the fee for an annuity she was awarded in litigation related to her divorce. The mother had already paid $6.5 million in attorney fees before her death, and the plaintiff contends the amount was excessive and unreasonable, according to prior Texas Lawyer coverage.
Enos says the deposition location will be moved to a courthouse where security guards are available.
