Former justice minister Jonathan Denis facing new law society citations over allegations of witness tampering
Client: Jonathan Denis
Charge: Two new allegations of professional misconduct by the Calgary lawyer have been posted
Defence: Unproven allegations he attempted to influence the evidence of a witness.
Former Former provincial justice minister Jonathan Denis is in more hot water with the Law Society of Alberta, this time over allegations he attempted to influence the evidence of a witness.
On the law society’s website, two new allegations of professional misconduct by the Calgary lawyer have been posted.
“It is alleged that Jonathan B. Denis, K.C., attempted to influence the evidence of a witness at trial by threatening a defamation action against that witness and that such conduct is deserving of sanction,” reads the first citation.
“It is alleged that Jonathan B. Denis, K.C., failed to act honourably and with integrity by using a junior associate to send a threatening letter on his behalf and that such conduct is deserving of sanction,” reads the second.
The website adds the citations are “unproven allegations that have not yet been the subject of a hearing.”
The charges relate to a letter Denis sent to former chief medical examiner Dr. Anny Sauvageau during her testimony in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit accusing her of defaming him.
Denis was found in contempt for the letter but was ultimately cleared by the Alberta Court of Appeal of any wrongdoing.
Denis’ lawyer trying to determine why new allegations surfacing now
On Friday, Denis’ lawyer, Alain Hepner, who has just recently filed an appeal of two findings the former politician was guilty of breaching the lawyers’ code of conduct, confirmed the latest allegations relate to his dealings with the pathologist.
“(They’re about) the conflict with the former chief medical officer for the province, Sauvageau, which has been in the system for at least three years,” Hepner said.
He said he’s requested disclosure from counsel for the law society to determine why the citations have only just been alleged.
“I just actually this morning wrote a letter to the assigned counsel for the law society requesting disclosure of the allegations,” Hepner said.
The lawyer said he couldn’t provide any comment from Denis at this point, but said he would have something to say in the future.
“There is, but I can’t tell you what it is, not yet,” Hepner said.
He said Denis is not feeling great about the new charges from the governing body “for a number of reasons, but we’re dealing with it.”
Last September, a three member law society panel found Denis’ conduct on two of his files amounted to breaches of the Legal Profession Act.
Denis was fined $2,500 on each count, handed an official reprimand and ordered to pay costs of $15,000.
Hepner has appealed the entire ruling.
Source: The Calgary herald