Cicero (attorney who emailed Tressel) facing charges for sending emails

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LJ

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Jun 13, 2011 11:59 AM
COLUMBUS, Ohio --
The attorney who was at the center of the Ohio State scandal that eventually led to the resignation of head coach Jim Tressel is now facing charges of misconduct.

NBC4 has learned that Chris Cicero is charged with violating the Professional Rules of Conduct that govern Ohio attorneys. Specifically, he is accused of violating attorney-client privilege.

Cicero emailed Tressel in April 2010, saying that at least two current Buckeye players had sold signed OSU memorabilia to Edward Rife, who ran a local tattoo parlor. Cicero also said the players had received free tattoos.

An attorney who has discussions with a prospective client cannot reveal any information learned in the consultation. It is alleged that Cicero violated that rule by sending emails to Tressel, telling him of information learned from Rife during a consultation.

The Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline has filed a complaint against Cicero.

Cicero, who was a former Ohio State walk-on and letterman in the 1980s, has 20 days in which to respond. He will face a hearing in front of a panel during which he will have the opportunity to defend himself. The panel has not yet been appointed.

The panel will then make a recommendation to the Ohio Supreme Court who will decide if he loses his license.


http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2011/jun/13/6/attorney-who-tipped-tressel-face-charges-ar-537370/
Jun 13, 2011 11:59am
sleeper's avatar

sleeper

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27,879 posts
Jun 13, 2011 12:31 PM
Knew it. I've always maintained that Tressel lied to protect more than just Pryor, he tried to protect a former player too.

Bottom line, may Tressel RIP.
Jun 13, 2011 12:31pm
V

vball10set

paying it forward

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Jun 13, 2011 12:40 PM
sleeper;800692 wrote: Bottom line, may Tressel RIP.

good lord, when did he die?? :rolleyes:
Jun 13, 2011 12:40pm
krambman's avatar

krambman

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Jun 13, 2011 3:02 PM
When all of this first came out I wondered ho long it would be until this guy got in trouble for telling Tressel what he knew. I knew that had to be some sort of violation on his part.
Jun 13, 2011 3:02pm
FatHobbit's avatar

FatHobbit

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Jun 13, 2011 3:05 PM
krambman;800914 wrote:When all of this first came out I wondered ho long it would be until this guy got in trouble for telling Tressel what he knew. I knew that had to be some sort of violation on his part.

Yeah, I think he's probably ****ed in the ***.
Jun 13, 2011 3:05pm
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karen lotz

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Jun 13, 2011 3:08 PM
******!
Jun 13, 2011 3:08pm
V

vball10set

paying it forward

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Jun 13, 2011 3:12 PM
karen lotz;800931 wrote:******!

fucking A!!!
Jun 13, 2011 3:12pm
S

Steel Valley Football

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Jun 14, 2011 12:06 AM
Cicero is an idiot hothead and always has been. Did you know he put his father-in-law in the hospital at his own wedding reception?
Jun 14, 2011 12:06am
B

Big Gain

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Jun 14, 2011 12:59 AM
Cicero is such a dunce he didn't know NCAA violations had occurred, he e-mailed Tressel only because he was horrified a player would trade gold pants for tattoos.
Jun 14, 2011 12:59am
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thedynasty1998

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Jun 14, 2011 8:14 AM
Big Gain;801840 wrote:Cicero is such a dunce he didn't know NCAA violations had occurred, he e-mailed Tressel only because he was horrified a player would trade gold pants for tattoos.

Are you really that dumb?
Jun 14, 2011 8:14am
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thedynasty1998

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Jun 14, 2011 12:12 PM
Steel Valley Football;801758 wrote:Cicero is an idiot hothead and always has been. Did you know he put his father-in-law in the hospital at his own wedding reception?

And that is relevant why?
Jun 14, 2011 12:12pm
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dwccrew

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Jun 14, 2011 12:17 PM
Saw this one coming when this all started. I can't remember who it was that was debating with me on this when I said it was an ethical violation on Cicero's part and that he would get in trouble for it.
Jun 14, 2011 12:17pm
HitsRus's avatar

HitsRus

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Jun 14, 2011 10:56 PM
It also provides an insight into why Tressel tried to sweep this all under the rug. Most of this was confidential. He was worried about his players being involved with Rife. He was worried if he told anyone, he could be charged himself with compromising a federal investigation. Hindsight, of course, makes it appear to have been a bad decision, but it might not have seemed to be wrong at the time.
Jun 14, 2011 10:56pm
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2kool4skool

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Jun 14, 2011 11:26 PM
HitsRus;802667 wrote:It also provides an insight into why Tressel tried to sweep this all under the rug. Most of this was confidential. He was worried about his players being involved with Rife. He was worried if he told anyone, he could be charged himself with compromising a federal investigation.

lol, come on man.
Jun 14, 2011 11:26pm
HitsRus's avatar

HitsRus

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Jun 16, 2011 12:01 AM
What ?....you don't think that this was supposed to be a very confidential tip off?
Jun 16, 2011 12:01am
krambman's avatar

krambman

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Jun 16, 2011 1:19 AM
HitsRus;802667 wrote:It also provides an insight into why Tressel tried to sweep this all under the rug. Most of this was confidential. He was worried about his players being involved with Rife. He was worried if he told anyone, he could be charged himself with compromising a federal investigation. Hindsight, of course, makes it appear to have been a bad decision, but it might not have seemed to be wrong at the time.

This reason < potentially losing some of your best players off a team ranked #2 in the preseason. You you said may be part of the reason he kept quiet about it, but to assume that was the whole reason and that it had nothing to do with potentially losing some of his best players then you're diluding yourself.
Jun 16, 2011 1:19am
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HitsRus

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Jun 16, 2011 6:43 AM
I am of course, only talking about the initial e-mails which this thread is about. There were other opportunities to 'comply'. All of which brings us back to the 400 page NCAA rule book and the disproportionate penalties levied for minor violations.

I don't delude myself at all, especially about 'amateur athletics'. There are no shortage of 'bad people'( Rife, Gamblers, bookies, etc) , and no shortage of 'good people' and institutions( the universities themselves,well meaning boosters, the media, Las Vegas.) who will use these kids and their talents to make millions of dollars. But then overreact when some of these kids make mistakes with all the fame and attention thrown their way. Why are we so shocked and outraged?
Jun 16, 2011 6:43am
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karen lotz

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Jun 16, 2011 10:58 AM
So...if "most" of it was confidential (?), why did Tressel forward the email to Pryor's mentor but not tell anyone else about it?
Jun 16, 2011 10:58am
S

Steel Valley Football

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4,548 posts
Jun 16, 2011 11:17 AM
thedynasty1998;802100 wrote:And that is relevant why?


It's relevant to this statement: "Cicero is an idiot hothead and always has been".
Jun 16, 2011 11:17am
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thedynasty1998

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Jun 16, 2011 12:35 PM
Who gives a shit about Cicero being a hothead. He was trying to help out Tressel but Tressel screwed it all up. Cicero isn't the bad guy here.
Jun 16, 2011 12:35pm
LJ's avatar

LJ

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Jun 16, 2011 12:37 PM
thedynasty1998;804513 wrote:Who gives a shit about Cicero being a hothead. He was trying to help out Tressel but Tressel screwed it all up. Cicero isn't the bad guy here.

His intentions (Cicero) may have been good, but his actions were 100% wrong.
Jun 16, 2011 12:37pm
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vball10set

paying it forward

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Jun 16, 2011 1:22 PM
thedynasty1998;804513 wrote:Who gives a **** about Cicero being a hothead. He was trying to help out Tressel but Tressel screwed it all up. Cicero isn't the bad guy here.

you are correct, but unfortunately the bar association doesn't see it that way
Jun 16, 2011 1:22pm
HitsRus's avatar

HitsRus

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Jun 16, 2011 1:47 PM
So...if "most" of it was confidential (?), why did Tressel forward the email to Pryor's mentor but not tell anyone else about it?
pretty simple....somebody had to get those boys out of there, and he couldn't do it without losing either plausible deniabilty or triggering the dog and pony show we have all been witness to. In the old days, it would have been handled with some discreet phone calls and nothing would have been the worse for wear. But what gets put on a computer stays around forever. Be careful what you post on facebook and myspace or your cell phone .
Jun 16, 2011 1:47pm
HitsRus's avatar

HitsRus

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Jun 16, 2011 1:50 PM
Cicero isn't the bad guy here.
Nope. Not really very many bad guys here. Just some good people who were caught being human.
Jun 16, 2011 1:50pm