Legal Ethics
Lawyer Asserts His Cop Taunts Are Protected by the First Amendment
A Michigan criminal defense lawyer claims in a federal lawsuit that his police officer taunts are protected by the First Amendment.
Lawyer Timothy Barkovic of St. Clair Shores is seeking to halt a December disciplinary hearing, the Detroit News reports. He is accused of calling a police officer a “punk” and “dirty cop,” and telling another he hopes he gets “shot in a drug house in Detroit.”
“Lawyers with silver tongues, loose lips or potty mouths are practically a cliché,” the Detroit News says, “and the case begs the question of whether their profession can hold them to higher standards.”
The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled against Barkovic.
Prior coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Lawyer Charged with Assault and Battery in Courthouse Cop Scuffle”
