The Attorney Grievance Commission has released reports on two attorneys, John E. Johnson, Jr, and Wilson A. Copeland, II, who were brought up on charges of professional misconduct after the Detroit text message scandal.
As an attorney for the City of Detroit, John E. Johnson, Jr. was supposed to have provided advice, along with Valerie Colbert-Osamuede, to the Detroit City Council about the text messages after the jury's verdict in the whistleblower lawsuits brought against the City of Detroit and former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. He was charged with two counts of professional misconduct. The first count, that he failed to provide the best advice possible to the Detroit City Council, was dismissed by the panel. Mr. Johnson was found guilty of the second count of professional misconduct, that he approved the release of a statement to the Detroit Free Press that the City of Detroit had no settlement agreement to give them in response to their FOIA request, when in fact this settlement agreement did exist, and was in writing, and should have been released. A hearing to determine his punishment will be set.
Read the full report:
Attorney Grievance Commission v John E. Johnson, Jr.
The Attorney Discipline Board dismissed the claims made against Wilson A. Copeland, II, finding that conclusions of professional misconduct were not established in their hearings. Copeland represented the City of Detroit in the civil suit brought by Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope against the City of Detroit and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick - Wayne County Circuit Court Case 03-317557-NZ.
Read the entire report:
Attorney Grievance Commission v Wilson A. Copeland, II
Read the order of dismissal:
Order of Dismissal - Attorney Grievance Commission v Wilson A. Copeland, II
Posted by Samantha Meinke
