Lawyer Arrested, Tried to Get Witness to Lie

Lawyer arrested, tried to get witness to lie, Wayne County prosecutor says
The Detroit News by Laura Phelps - March 19, 2012

Detroit, MI — A defense attorney was charged Monday with conspiring to commit perjury in a murder trial after being arrested during a court session this morning. Around 9:15 a.m., attorney David Dunn was arrested in Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Kenny's courtroom. Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Dunn, 42, of Detroit with conspiracy to commit perjury in a capital trial, witness interference and numerous other crimes in connection with an ongoing murder case that was set to begin Monday. "Mr. Dunn's alleged behavior is a poison arrow to the heart of the criminal justice system," Worthy said in a statement. "The evidence will show that he has done this more than once." Dunn was representing Andre Collins, 22, from Detroit, who is charged in a first-degree murder case. Collins was also charged Monday with conspiracy to commit perjury in a capital trial. It's alleged that the two conspired to get a witness to commit perjury in Collin's case. Collins had been charged with first-degree murder, weapons possession by a felon and weapons felony firearm in the case before Kenny when Dunn was arrested in the court room. Collins is on parole for selling cocaine and marijuana. He was sentenced in December 2009 to four months to five years. After serving five months in prison, he was paroled in May 2010. His parole was set to end March 24, but he was held in custody after being charged with murder in the current case. The 22-year-old has bullet wounds on his left foot and thigh, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.  Kenny has adjourned the case until Friday at 9 a.m. Worthy also charged Dunn with two counts of witness interfering, two counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of perjury-incitement and procuring at a court proceeding, and two counts of solicitation to commit a felony. "I cannot even begin to express how disappointed I am by his alleged actions," Worthy said in a release. Both Dunn and Collins are expected to be arraigned 1 p.m. Tuesday at the 36th District Court. Dunn does not have any prior complaints with the state's Attorney Discipline Board.