Politics & Government
State Supreme Court Censures New Brunswick Attorney Who Committed Ethics Violations
W. Richard Veitch interviewed his client's co-defendant despite being told not to by that co-defendant's attorney.
A New Brunswick attorney who interviewed a client’s co-defendant over the objections of the co-defendant’s attorney has been censured by the state Supreme Court, nj.com reports.
W. Richard Veitch, who is representing Sulaiman Massaquoi, 25, in a 2008 armed robbery case, was censured last week after he interviewed Daniel K. Jackson over the objections of Jackson’s East Brunswick-based attorney, Richard Klein, according to the report.
Massaquoi, Jackson, 25, and Chrispin Grant, 24, were accused or robbing a Chinese food delivery person in 2008 in North Brunswick, according to the report.
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In early 2011, Klein negotiated a plea bargain for Jackson in which Jackson would spend no more than 10 years in prison for second-degree conspiracy as opposed to the 20 years he was facing by going to trial, according to the report.
He allegedly agreed to testify against both his co-defendants, according to the report.
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Klein said Veitch spoke to his client despite a phone call, letter and email denying him access to Jackson, according to the report. Veitch convinced Jackson to sign a waiver. The two spoke, and Jackson later attempted to withdraw his plea.
The judge denied the attempt to withdraw the plea, according to the report. However, he ruled that Veitch didn’t learn any new information from Jackson.
The Disciplinary Review Board recommended the censure to the Supreme Court, according to the report.
Last year, Jackson was sentenced to 10 years in prison for second-degree conspiracy, and he is not eligible for parole until 2019, according to the report.
Massaquoi was convicted of kidnapping and robbery conspiracy, among other charges, in 2011, according to the report. He was sentenced to 20 years in state prison, and is eligible for parole after 15.
Grant is due to be released this week after serving five years for robbery, which he pleaded guilty to, according to the report.
Veitch has been practicing law since 1971, according to the report.
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