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http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/16539.html

By Michael J. Gaynor
How Dare Judge Titus Try to Silence The Duke Men's Lacrosse Team!
July 30, 2006 06:17 PM EST

EXCERPT

Legal ethics is not Mr. McKissick's strong suit. See "Floyd McKissick Jr. disciplined by N.C. Bar, an Indy, the Independent Weekly, an article by Jennifer Strom dated March 17, 2004:

"Durham attorney and former city council member Floyd McKissick Jr. has been disciplined by the N.C. State Bar for professional misconduct involving a conflict of interest.

"McKissick received a formal reprimand from bar's grievance committee late last year, which the bar recently released to the public. The reprimand is essentially a slap on the wrist from the organization that regulates North Carolina attorneys; his law license is not endangered.

"The bar found that McKissick, a civil litigator who served on the council from 1993 to 2001, improperly represented both sides in a 2000 dispute involving the estate decisions of an elderly Durham man, Thomas Griswell. The conflict between the man and his younger caretaker spawned a civil case, as well as criminal charges of elder abuse against the caretaker."

The article further stated:

"'Floyd McKissick was a danger to elderly people who trusted him, who relied on him to protect their interests,' says Beverly Hill, who lives in Raleigh. Hill believes that 'a huge conflict of interest' led McKissick to help her uncle's caretaker get control of his assets, taking advantage of his advanced age, poor health and grief over his wife's death. 'My uncle was very exposed.'

"Court records show that Griswell signed over the deed to his East Alton Street house and all legal power over his personal finances and other affairs to caretaker Lily Richardson, whom Griswell and his wife had considered one of four unrelated 'foster children' they had supported for many years. The legal transactions took place in then-councilman McKissick's office in 1999, the day after Griswell's wife of 63 years had died. At the time, McKissick legally represented Griswell.

"A couple of months later, when Griswell realized he'd lost his house and given away power over his personal affairs, he hired another attorney to help him rescind the agreement McKissick had arranged for him with Richardson. McKissick later represented Richardson in her attempts to keep the agreement in place, according to court records.

"Questioned about the conflict of interest, McKissick is quick to assert that the bar's ruling 'is not newsworthy.'"

Chairman McKissick is staunchly behind Mr. Nifong, as the following excerpt from a July 4, 2006 article in The News & Observer illustrates:

"Durham County Democratic Party Chairman Floyd McKissick Jr. said the party will not challenge Cheek's petition drive. Instead, party officials said they will wait for Ashe to finish verifying Cheek's signatures, then decide how best to support Nifong should Cheek enter the race.

"'It's premature until we really know whether we've got an issue to deal with,' McKissick said. 'Durham is one of those communities where, politically, it's a little bit unconventional in the way things operate sometimes.'"

It's frightening the way things operate in Durham!