Prison raid attorneys fees top $126k

Feb. 12--Lackawanna County paid more than $126,000 to a Scranton law firm representing it in connection with the state grand jury investigation into alleged sexual abuse at the county prison, as of Nov. 30.

Invoices submitted by the firm of Myers, Brier & Kelly show it was paid $121,727 in legal fees, plus $5,170 in costs for work performed by five attorneys and two other staff members since Sept. 28.

Commissioners hired the firm in September after agents with the state attorney general's office raided several county offices seeking evidence for a statewide grand jury investigating allegations numerous prison guards sexually abused inmates for years. The probe was prompted by a federal lawsuit filed by one woman in July 2016. The suit was later amended to add another four women.

The firm is representing the county related to the initial search and for additional requests for documents the county received since the raid, Andy Wallace, the county's chief of staff, said in a prepared statement. He did not identify what documents were sought.

"The process is ongoing and involves collecting and reviewing decades of records and ensuring that the county respects important legal privileges and honors confidentiality obligations imposed by law," Wallace said in the statement.

Wallace said he expects the review of those records to take months, given the volume and time frame they encompass.

The law firm is also providing legal guidance to current and former county employees who have been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury, which continues to meet.

Donald Frederickson, the county's general counsel, previously said the representation relates only to the employees' testimony before the grand jury. The county will not pay legal fees relating to criminal charges.

The invoices, which the The Times-Tribune obtained through the state's Right to Know Law, show the number of hours each person worked and the hourly rate that was charged. They do not contain details of the work performed.

The bills, which were prepared by attorney Patrick Casey, note the invoices provide only a summary of work performed "in order to keep work product confidential." He advises county officials to contact the firm if they wish to view billing details.

The summary provided to the newspaper shows Casey spent the most time on the case, logging 151.1 hours at $375 per hour. He is followed by attorney Jack Dempsey, 70.7 hours at $375 per hour; attorney Nicholas Kravitz, 53.6 hours at $275 per hour; attorney Dan Brier, 40.4 hours at $375 per hour; Jennifer Krist, 37.7 hours at $125 per hour; Carol Kelleher, 30.1 hours at $125 per hour; and attorney Donna Walsh, 0.5 hours at $375 per hour.

Casey is the lead attorney handling a court action the county filed that seeks the return of certain evidence taken in the raid, including documents, computer equipment and the county's email server. The county contends the warrants used to obtain the information were overly broad. A senior Lackawanna County judge held a hearing on the matter in November but has not yet ruled.

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