By John Counts | [email protected]
on July 11, 2015 at 5:45 AM
(Editor's note: Profanity has not been edited out of the text messages for this story.)
In a legal expert's opinion, resigning 15th District Court Judge Christopher Easthope should not have been hearing cases being represented by his attorney friend, Nader Nassif.
"These (messages) seem to demonstrate a continuing close personal relationship with a particular lawyer that at times conflicted with the judge's professional duties that should have resulted in the judge recusing himself from all cases involving the attorney," said Larry Dubin, a University of Detroit Mercy law professor. Dubin is referring to a sampling of Easthope and Nassif's nearly 400 pages of text messages recently released to The Ann Arbor News via a Freedom of Information Act request.
The messages reveal Easthope were drinking buddies who smoked pot together once. The texts also suggest Easthope helped Nassif's firm get the contract with the city. The two were texting during the Ann Arbor City Council meeting in June 2013 where Easthope got up before the council and recommended the firm. After a resolution for the $240,000 contract and a $203,000 amendment were approved, Easthope texted Nasiff: "U owe me."
READ REST OF STORY AT:
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/07/judge_christopher_easthope_sho.html
on July 11, 2015 at 5:45 AM
(Editor's note: Profanity has not been edited out of the text messages for this story.)
In a legal expert's opinion, resigning 15th District Court Judge Christopher Easthope should not have been hearing cases being represented by his attorney friend, Nader Nassif.
"These (messages) seem to demonstrate a continuing close personal relationship with a particular lawyer that at times conflicted with the judge's professional duties that should have resulted in the judge recusing himself from all cases involving the attorney," said Larry Dubin, a University of Detroit Mercy law professor. Dubin is referring to a sampling of Easthope and Nassif's nearly 400 pages of text messages recently released to The Ann Arbor News via a Freedom of Information Act request.
The messages reveal Easthope were drinking buddies who smoked pot together once. The texts also suggest Easthope helped Nassif's firm get the contract with the city. The two were texting during the Ann Arbor City Council meeting in June 2013 where Easthope got up before the council and recommended the firm. After a resolution for the $240,000 contract and a $203,000 amendment were approved, Easthope texted Nasiff: "U owe me."
READ REST OF STORY AT:
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/07/judge_christopher_easthope_sho.html
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