Twin Falls defense attorney Lynn Dunlap has come up with a clever method for getting impeachment evidence on the state’s witnesses: Get them arrested for attempting to sell their testimony.Here's the short version: Dunlap’s client is charged with aiding robbery, aiding aggravated battery and grand theft. Robert Barton is the alleged victim. Barton and Kimberly Pena-Souza are witnesses in the case. Barton, however, allegedly made contact with Dunlap and offered to change his testimony.
Dunlap alerted the prosecutor’s office and then arranged, under the direction of the police, a meeting with Barton. A video camera and audio recorder were set up in Dunlap's office. At the meeting, Mr. Barton is alleged to have offered to change is his testimony for $15,000.
Pena-Souza is charged with soliciting $5,000 for herself.
According to the Twin Falls Times-News:
"Dunlap promised to pay in full after their ‘successful testimony’ though Barton on Monday accepted $1,000 from Dunlap and was arrested at Dunlap's office with the cash in hand, according to court records. Pena-Souza was also arrested Monday on her way to pick up her down-payment, and later admitted to detectives she expected a total of $5,000, according to court records."
Read the Times-News story at: http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2009/08/20/news/local_state/168946.txt
Kudos to Lynn Dunlap for coming up with the most creative way to get impeachment evidence on the state's witnesses ever. But, hasn't anyone seen Francis Ford Coppola's classic movie: The Conversation? (Starring Gene Hackman, photoillustrated above.) Always go outside and keep moving when you discuss bad business.
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