DETROIT, March 30 (UPI) -- Kwame Kilpatrick's former lawyer could be suspended for arranging a deal allowing the former Detroit mayor to keep his text messages private.
A disciplinary panel of three volunteer lawyers that has already found Samuel McCargo violated ethics rules held a hearing Monday on the penalty, The Detroit News reported. Steven Vella, a lawyer with the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission, asked for a suspension of 2 years and 11 months.
"This is the appropriate level of punishment," said Vella, who functioned as McCargo's prosecutor.
Krystal Crittendon, the Detroit corporation counsel, testified Kilpatrick's coverup of his text messages with his chief of staff, who was also his mistress at the time, ended up costing the city $170,000 in fees for outside lawyers. A parade of character witnesses testified for McCargo.
Five lawyers, including Valerie Colbert-Osamuede, face ethics charges for their role in the text-message coverup. Colbert-Osamuede is in the midst of a hearing.
