Thursday, Jul. 02, 2009

Coleman's father will get a new attorney in a wrongful death case against his son

Christopher Coleman's father is getting a new lawyer to represent him in a wrongful death suit filed against his son.

Bill Margulis filed a motion Thursday, asking to withdraw as attorney for Ronald Coleman, who was named as a "respondent in discovery" to provide documents in a civil case filed against Coleman's son. Christopher Coleman, 32, has been charged with first-degree murder in the ligature strangulations of his wife and two sons.

"We will continue to represent Chris Coleman in the matter," Margulis said Thursday.

A hearing is scheduled July 13 on Margulis' request.

A new judge will also hear the case. On Wednesday, St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael O'Malley transferred the civil case to Monroe County Circuit Judge Dennis Doyle, who was the original judge in the criminal case against Coleman.

The bodies of Sheri Coleman, 31, Garett Coleman, 11, and Gavin Coleman, 9, were found May 5 in their house at 2854 Robert Drive in Columbia by a police officer neighbor Coleman had called to check on them.

Margulis still represents Coleman in the civil and criminal cases.

Ronald Coleman, pastor of Chester-based Grace Church Ministries, was asked to produce documents related to the lawsuit. Belleville attorney Jack Carey represents Sheri Coleman's family, along with Chicago attorney Enrico Mirabelli, Sheri's cousin.

Carey and Mirabelli are seeking Christopher Coleman's income tax returns, salary and benefit information, copies of his military discharge papers and of his father's firearm owner's identification card.

Ronald Coleman has not produced any documents or answers, Carey said earlier this week.

Carey filed a motion to force Joyce Meyer Ministries, Coleman's employer, who was also named as a respondent in discovery, to provide documents including scheduling, salary, benefits, life insurance information and airline tickets and schedules on commercial flights and private airplane passenger lists from Joyce Meyer Ministries for travel in connection to Coleman's former job there as a security guard.

Margulis and Carey are scheduled to be in court Monday. The court must decide whether to restrict the release of some or all of the documents or open them to the public.