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June 12, 1987
Legal fees allegedly split
Lawyer insists deal made with Waco DA
AUSTIN (AP) – Waco attorney Dick Kettler stood fast under cross examination Thursday on his testimony his law firm had an agreement with McLennan County District Attorney Vic Feazell to split legal fees.
However, under questioning by defense attorney Gary Richardson, Kettler admitted he and his partner, Don Hall, charged up to $3,000 for DWI and drug cases they were able to get dismissed before Feazell became district attorney. He also repeated earlier testimony he never actually saw Feazell given any money.
Kettler testified for the third day as a government witness in the bribery trial of the 35-year-old Waco prosecutor. Feazell, who is still district attorney, has denied the federal charges he accepted bribes or illegal campaign contributions in exchange for his influence over criminal cases.
Kettler testified earlier the firm charged higher fees for case dismissals after they made an agreement with Feazell to get one-third of fees on cases that Feazell “handled.” Kettler said if the firm was unable to get a case dismissed or reduced to public intoxication, part of the fee was refunded.
Thursday he said Hall handled all the payments to Feazell in his closed office. He said he had heard Hall tell clients that he had an “in” with the district attorney’s office.
Under questioning, Kettler said he had a written agreement with the government to plead guilty to a felony charge of tax evasion on cash fees received that were never reported for income taxes.
Kettler has said the arrangement with Feazell ended in April 1985 when he heard there was an investigation into Feazell’s operations.
The indictment against Feazell accuses him of taking $19,000 in bribes from a circle of Waco attorneys in exchange for dismissing charges against their clients or reducing their punishments. A 10-count federal racketeering indictment also charges him with mail fraud.
The trial is in its third week in U.S. district court and is expected to last at least a week longer.
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