In two trials this week, Baltimore defense attorneys took the witness stand to defend themselves against allegations of witness tampering - evidence, prosecutors say, of some attorneys' willingness to push the boundaries by playing into the city's "street justice" culture.
Yesterday, a judge ruled that a jury can hear testimony from a prosecution witness who said defense attorney Leslie Stein urged him to change his story, telling him that "people don't last long when they snitch."
Baltimore Circuit Judge Timothy Doory said he didn't necessarily believe the witness, Christopher Meadows, over the 35-year veteran attorney, who denied the allegations. But the judge thought "there was enough there" that the jury in the murder trial of Stein's client, Bryant Williams, 24, should be allowed to decide who's telling the truth.
Stein could not be reached yesterday afternoon, but in testimony Thursday, he vigorously denied any improper conduct with Meadows, saying the witness told him he had "made a terrible mistake" in accusing Williams and wanted to right it by changing his testimony at the trial.
In another case, prominent defense attorney Ivan Bates took the stand Tuesday in the robbery trial of Charles Robinson, 31, one of his former clients. Bates was accused of negotiating a contract in which Robinson would pay a victim $690 in exchange for not pursuing civil or criminal "remedies."
When the victim, Richard Felty, testified in the trial, he said Robinson did not look like the person who robbed him. Robinson, who was also charged with obstruction of justice, was acquitted on all counts.
In an interview yesterday, Bates denied any wrongdoing. "That contract had nothing to do with Charles Robinson," he said. He asserted it was to prevent a civil action.
"I told the victim he would still have to come to court and he would have to tell the truth," Bates said. "Honest to God that's what I said."
'Rare exception'
Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy and top deputy state's attorneys met yesterday afternoon to review the cases involved, said Jessamy spokeswoman Margaret Burns. She said it would be "totally premature" to say whether prosecutors might press charges, such as obstruction of justice or witness intimidation, against the attorneys.
"This is the rare exception to the regular criminal justice process," Burns said of the hearings this week.
