Florida Bar Throws Out Jose Baez Investigation

by Teresa Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:22 am

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A Florida Bar investigation into Casey Anthony's lawyer, Jose Baez, has been thrown out. Baez's team was accused of making some nasty statements about public officials in the case, including prosecutors.

"Lawson Lamar is disrespecting the public trust in the grand jury system. He cares more about being re-elected than a child's life," Baez's spokesman wrote in a previous news release (read previous release).

Statements like that landed Baez in the Florida Bar investigation. The statements came from Baez's spokesman, Todd Black of Press Corps Media.

The Bar told Eyewitness News someone from the State Attorney's Office forwarded the news releases and that's why the Bar opened an investigation. Baez was accused of violating a rule that states lawyers can not make false statements about judges and legal officials.

Baez defended himself and said he wasn't responsible for Todd Black's comments, because Black was not Baez's employee and Baez said he didn't know what Black was releasing to the media.

"PCM's statements were not made at the direction or with the approval of Mr. Baez. Mr. Baez has not paid and will not pay any part of PCM's fees or expenses," an attorney representing Baez wrote in a statement to the Bar (read full statement).

The Florida Bar agreed and no disciplinary action was taken, but in the past Baez said Black was an employee.

"Todd Black does still work for us," Baez said in October 2008. "He has freed up so much of my time to concentrate on Casey's case."

Eyewitness News asked the Bar that statement and Baez told them he didn't see the inflammatory releases, but then later on he decided to hire Black and now reviews the releases.

Baez is also under investigation for possibly violating advertising rules. The Bar has offered a diversion plan instead of disciplinary action. Baez can take an advertising course and will have to submit all his ads for a year to get approval. Baez has been given 16 days to respond to the Bar's deal.