Summary: Prosecutors believe a Chicago area lawyer has been telling clients and witnesses to lie in several cases, with some resulting in acquittals.
Lawyers are expected to prepare their clients for testimony but when a lawyer goes too far and tells their clients to fabricate stories, action must be taken. An attorney in Chicago is being accused of coaching his witnesses and defendants to lie.
Beau Brindley was accused by a prosecutor of creating such lies that affected at least six criminal cases. As assistant U.S. attorney Michael Chmelar explained, “The lies were like a virus that spread from case to case to case.” The lies allowed him to achieve acquittals on some of the counts in more than one case.
Brindley was born in Iowa but has made a name for himself in Chicago defending mobsters and drug dealers. Brindley now finds himself facing multiple counts of perjury and obstruction. One count of perjury can carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
One of the more serious allegations is that Brindley wrote scripts for his clients and witnesses of questions to expect from trial and false answers to give to those questions. The prosecution believes that Brindley was promised compensation in addition to the basic legal fees when he won acquittals. These kinds of payments are illegal because it entices the creation of fake stories.
Brindley’s defense is focusing on his old clients and witnesses only lying now about him. He claims that he never told anyone to lie.
Source: http://www.nwherald.com/2015/08/27/lawyer-accused-of-coaching-clients-to-lie-awaits-fate/aqhs8h2/
Photo: nbcchicago.com