Post by Anja on Jun 23, 2006 18:08:42 GMT -5
Lawyer suspended for sassing judge -- Defense attorney has to take
three-month unpaid vacation
Fort Lauderdale defense attorney Kayo Morgan sassed a judge 2 years ago.
Now his words have cost him at least a summer's worth of work -- and fees.
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday suspended Morgan, known for his work
in high-profile murder cases, for 91 days. It was his third such offense,
and at the close of her nine-page decision, Chief Justice Barbara Pariente
issued a stern admonition: "We also warn that if he appears before this
court once again for similar misconduct, we may find it necessary to ...
disbar him."
Morgan, 50, represented defendants in two notorious murder cases.
In 1995 he defended Lisa Connelly, who was convicted of being among 7
young people who lured 20-year-old Bobby Kent to a Weston canal in 1993
and bludgeoned and stabbed him to death. She got 22 years in prison.
In the "Casey's Nickelodeon" case, Morgan represented Pablo Ibar, who was
convicted in the June 1994 triple slaying of a nightclub owner and 2 women
during an invasion of the club owner's Miramar home. Ibar is on death row.
But it was a small-time felony battery trial in 2004 that got Morgan in
trouble with the Florida Bar. The lawyer snapped at Broward Circuit Judge
Robert Collins, who curtailed Morgan's questioning of a witness.
"I think you're out of line," Morgan shot back. "You don't talk to me like
that in front of a jury."
In the protracted exchange, Collins threatened to have Morgan arrested.
"Go ahead and have me arrested," the lawyer taunted. "Take me to jail and
let's go with it."
The 2 parried on.
Collins: "And you are obnoxious."
Morgan: "So what?"
Collins: "You can't be obnoxious in a courtroom to a judge."
Morgan: "You are obnoxious to me."
The attorney won a mistrial for his client, who later pleaded out to a
probation sentence.
Morgan, who has 30 days to close out his 1-man practice, accepted his
suspension with aplomb. "I'm going to just basically work out, get back in
shape, take a 3-month vacation without pay," he said. "I'm more concerned
about the people I have to abandon. I'm trying to get good lawyers to step
in and take care of these people."
Morgan was reprimanded for making derogatory remarks in 1995 and 1996
about judges, and was suspended for 10 days for making false statements
about a judge in 2000. Once this suspension is up, he must apply to the
high court for reinstatement to practice, after proving he's been
rehabilitated.
"I'll try not to run over any babies and be a sweetheart between now and
then," he said.
(source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
three-month unpaid vacation
Fort Lauderdale defense attorney Kayo Morgan sassed a judge 2 years ago.
Now his words have cost him at least a summer's worth of work -- and fees.
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday suspended Morgan, known for his work
in high-profile murder cases, for 91 days. It was his third such offense,
and at the close of her nine-page decision, Chief Justice Barbara Pariente
issued a stern admonition: "We also warn that if he appears before this
court once again for similar misconduct, we may find it necessary to ...
disbar him."
Morgan, 50, represented defendants in two notorious murder cases.
In 1995 he defended Lisa Connelly, who was convicted of being among 7
young people who lured 20-year-old Bobby Kent to a Weston canal in 1993
and bludgeoned and stabbed him to death. She got 22 years in prison.
In the "Casey's Nickelodeon" case, Morgan represented Pablo Ibar, who was
convicted in the June 1994 triple slaying of a nightclub owner and 2 women
during an invasion of the club owner's Miramar home. Ibar is on death row.
But it was a small-time felony battery trial in 2004 that got Morgan in
trouble with the Florida Bar. The lawyer snapped at Broward Circuit Judge
Robert Collins, who curtailed Morgan's questioning of a witness.
"I think you're out of line," Morgan shot back. "You don't talk to me like
that in front of a jury."
In the protracted exchange, Collins threatened to have Morgan arrested.
"Go ahead and have me arrested," the lawyer taunted. "Take me to jail and
let's go with it."
The 2 parried on.
Collins: "And you are obnoxious."
Morgan: "So what?"
Collins: "You can't be obnoxious in a courtroom to a judge."
Morgan: "You are obnoxious to me."
The attorney won a mistrial for his client, who later pleaded out to a
probation sentence.
Morgan, who has 30 days to close out his 1-man practice, accepted his
suspension with aplomb. "I'm going to just basically work out, get back in
shape, take a 3-month vacation without pay," he said. "I'm more concerned
about the people I have to abandon. I'm trying to get good lawyers to step
in and take care of these people."
Morgan was reprimanded for making derogatory remarks in 1995 and 1996
about judges, and was suspended for 10 days for making false statements
about a judge in 2000. Once this suspension is up, he must apply to the
high court for reinstatement to practice, after proving he's been
rehabilitated.
"I'll try not to run over any babies and be a sweetheart between now and
then," he said.
(source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel)