Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 13 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
Brock pleads guilty to perjury
Evergreen lawyer was involved in Phillips’ criminal trial
Published Thursday, August 13, 2009
Conecuh County attorney John Brock has pleaded guilty to third degree perjury for his role in the probate case that led to the conviction of former Covington County Probate Judge Sherrie Phillips.
Cary Douglas Piper, who was 52 at the time of his death on Jan. 13, 2007, was a resident of Castleberry, Ala., located between Brewton and Evergreen on the Conecuh County side of the Escambia-Conecuh County line. Mary Drew Sullivan, also a Castleberry resident, petitioned the probate court of Covington County in March 2007 to be named administrator of Piper’s estate. Brock, an Evergreen attorney, represented Sullivan and prepared the petition.
Thursday, Brock pleaded guilty to third degree perjury, a misdemeanor. The terms of his plea agreement called for a six-month sentence, which prosecutors for the state of Alabama recommended be suspended. Prosecutors are requesting in the plea agreement that he pay court costs, pay $500 to the victims’ compensation fund, and pay a $3,000 fine.
Alabama Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb appointed retired Monroe County District Judge William J. Causey to hear the case. Causey approved the plea agreement.
When Sullivan and Brock brought Piper’s estate, which had an estimated value of $3.2 million, to Covington County, they claimed that Piper died without a will and with no known relatives. Alabama law requires an escheat process in those conditions, in which the estate is held for a number of years in case relatives appear later.
Six first cousins were later identified. At about the same time that a Covington County grand jury indicted Phillips for the theft of $1.8 million from the estate, an attorney representing the cousins successfully petitioned to have the probate case reopened.
Lee Enzor, who at the time was acting probate judge, also ordered Sullivan and Brock, the attorney, to repay the “egregious and impermissible fees” received from the estate. Each had received $450,000 in administrative and attorney’s fees. Both repaid the fees; Sullivan has since filed a civil complaint against Brock, Phillips and an accountant in the case. In the lawsuit, Sullivan claims that Brock and Phillips “insisted that the petition to administer (Piper’s) estate be filed in Covington County and that estate assets be moved there to create jurisdiction,” despite the fact that Piper lived in Conecuh County. She alleges legal malpractice, conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duty, outrage, negligence, wantonness, fraud and suppression.
The warrant against Brock states that he, “did swear falsely, to wit: in a petition for letters of administration prepared for the matter of the estate of Cary Douglas Piper, in violation of Section 13A-10-103 of the Code of Alabama, against the peace and dignity of the state of Alabama.”
The case against Brock was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Bill Lisenby, chief, and Assistant Attorney General Ben Baxley, both of the Public Corruption and White Collar Crime Division, and was investigated by the AG’s Investigations Division.
Comments
Posted by lo1an2go (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 6:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A slap on the hand doesn't seem appropiate for that kind of misconduct. He should have his license's taken. He and Sherrie planned the whole thing. Sullivan shouldn't be suing anyone. She had to be in on the plan also. They all got greedy and got caught. No difference than robbing a bank. It's a shame the statute of limitations had run out on some of the other cases Sherrie mishandled. It should be like the IRS, if they find something they can keep going back.
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 7:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
IS THAT ALL HE GOT???? You can tell by this judgement we need to rethink ALL the people who hold high offices in Alabama.
Posted by average_joe (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And Sherrie still "rides the road" in her Cadillac waiting on our justice system to do their bookwork. What a sham!! Everyone that thinks her judicial friends will finally send her to jail, stand on your head. I agree with winkie, we need to rethink ALL the people who hold high offices in Alabama, especially the judicial high offices.
Posted by Ginseng44 (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why would Sullivan push to have this done in Covington County ? I can't beleive NO ONE has even been sentenced to jail time over this ordeal. It's sad that we trusted these robbers to hold office in our county, and the statute of limitations is B.S. I think they should still investigate other cases and send them straight to jail with no bond, and real punishment not small fines. These people spend more money than that on their weekend shopping sprees with other peoples money.
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 11:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This guy is just as guilty as Phillips.They both should serve time for this crime.
Posted by ccresident09 (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a crying shame Phillips and her corrupt "friends" are allowed to continue to roam around without any punishment for their role in this serious crime. WHERE IS THE JUSTICE SYSTEM????? Jail and fine them all. THEY ARE ALL GUILTY> I guess they will not stand a trial in Cov COunty because the people here would string them ALL up without any deliberation! THEY SHOULD BE BEHIND BARS not riding around in their stolen property! SHAME ON YOU PHILLIPS - I Hope Someday You Get What You Truly Deserve. If not here, Your Justice Will Come From Above-THAT YOU SHOULD FEAR!
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 14, 2009 at 7:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CNN or Fox?
Posted by sweetnannie (anonymous) on August 15, 2009 at 1:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is most regrettable thing for our state and county.. Corrupt officials. I wish we could get the Feds to look into Alabama Courts and corruption. Can't now though.. It's more corrupted than ever with Obama Crap Soup... We are in trouble folks.. We have no honor, integrity, or compassion for people in our own county, especially in State and Federal. Our country is the worse it's been ever! If we don't start being heard,, it's just going to get worse. We as the people have got to get off our butts and make our voices heard!
Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on August 15, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If we had a real district attorney, we would be seeing three people going to jail for long terms. What have is a guy trained in the Eugenia Loggins School of Do-Nothing to Public Officials Style of Prosecutorial Conduct. When Sherrie was indicted our two judges begged off and the lacky prosecutors from the AG's office stood around and said nothing about Judge Price's obvious conflict of interest - he had been her professor in Lawq school. Her law school classmate, John Block got a sweetheart plea deal form he same prosecutors. Whether or not they will do anything to Mary Drew Sullivan remains to be seen. We, the voters of this county, are to blame for a lot of this mess. We allowed Sherrie Phillips to stay in office as long as she did and continue to elect circuit judges and a DA that turn their heads and look the other way at corruption in public officials.
Posted by patwilliam (anonymous) on August 15, 2009 at 6:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well said Andalusiainquirer...well said...you summed it all up for me right there...no need for me to comment...
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 17, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
DITTO patwilliam!!!!
Posted by lo1an2go (anonymous) on August 19, 2009 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder what exactly they taught while Sherrie and Brock were in school. Another of there fellow students was a Federal atty. Last I heard about him the AG and Feds were looking for him. He had been stealing money from people also and his last known location was Louisiana. All three went to school together.
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 19, 2009 at 4:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The presideing judge in sherries trial was her collage professor.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)