Matisha Ward is the daughter of Antoinette Brown, the poor woman who was mauled to death in the city of Dallas by a pack of wild dogs in south Dallas last May 9. While her poor mother was on life support, Dallas City Councilwoman Tiffini Young, who represents the Fair park neighborhood, contacted her and apparently tried to solicit business for an attorney friend by encouraging Ms. Ward to sue the city of Dallas.
Brett Shipp reported on WFAA-TV that the lawyer she introduced Ms. Ward to, Chris Chestnut, is a college friend of Young’s. He also reports that Ms. Ward recorded the entire conversation.
But today the Dallas lawyer Ms. Ward hired, Tom Carse, filed suit against the City Councilwoman and Chestnut (who practices in Atlanta and Florida, where he has been reprimanded by the state bar) for “barratry and solicitation of professional employment.” Barratry is a third degree felony in Texas. She is seeking half a million in damages.
She is also considering suing the city of Dallas. Guess Young put the bug in her ear.
“When Mrs. Ward said ‘I’ve talked to a lawyer’ and when the response was ‘call me,’ as opposed to, ‘I wish you the best,’ and drop it, Young didn’t drop it,” Carse said.
Chestnut told News 8 neither he nor Young did anything wrong. “I perceive it as Ms. Young trying to help a constituent who just lost her mom tragically in a horrific death,” Chestnut said when reached about the allegations. “She was just following up with the lady to see if I could help.”
Young told News 8 she was only trying to help Ward and even assisted her in setting up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for her mother’s funeral.
By suing the city of Dallas. Lets see, half a million dollars… that’s 11 years of a new hire police rookie for 11 years.
From Tiffinni Young’s City Council profile:
Ms. Young was appointed to serve on the inaugural City of Dallas Youth Commission in 1994 and later appointed to the Park & Recreation Board to represent District 4 and District 7, respectively. The values instilled in her by her family and her faith, her love of community and passion for people led her to enlarge her commitment of service and run for public office. Councilwoman Young was elected to the Dallas City Council in June 2015, as the District 7 representative.
She continues to serve throughout her community as an active member of the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and as a board member for the Maurine F. Bailey Cultural Foundation. She currently is the CEO of a consulting practice focused in the areas of entertainment, sports and politics. Her dedication to community and compassion for people has shaped her call and commitment to make Dallas a better city, Texas a better state and our country the best it can be, one person at a time.
Or maybe it’s one lawsuit at a time?
