Bar Complaint Against Former Lawyer Picazio Filed By Crystal Sheffiel

[elle1919]

maybe...but I doubt it considering he had free childcare at his disposal. I don't believe that she failed as a mother at all...she may have left a lot to be desired, but failed, nah...I wouldn't consider Ron a failure as a father either (although IMHO he too leaves much to be desired as a parent) Thing is...I DO believe that he is either responsible for or complicit in his daughters disappearance, therein lies a HUGE difference imo. Now, if one believes the same of Crystal..then I can totally understand such judgement of her...if not....I was FAR from a perfect parent (although I did pretty dang good if I do say so myself :blushing..so I'll leave that there....
OT, but one last note..once upon a time when my children were growing up I might have even partaken of the ganja myself.. If I did, of course it would not have been in front of or around them and I still would still think of myself as a very good mom AND grandmom. Of course there would be those who would have burned me at the stake (some while taking a big swig of their own cocktail ) ..Just saying that IF one believes that she is responsible for HaLeigh being missing, then ALL of this carp is important into the investigation, but if not, wth is the point? Just to crucify her because you don't agree with her choices and lifestyle? Each to their own, but I'll take my own inventory first if that's the case............

O/T...I keep going off topic but I just wanted to say that I am always surprised when a fellow member chooses to put themselves on the proverbial chopping block by posting personal and private information about themselves the way you did, and also the way that One Lost Girl does when she speaks about topics that are personal to her. It is very touching and I think that it is very courageous and honest of you both.

 

[DenVIP]

It has everything to do with Crystal and Kim

that is a very narrow minded view....go to the cause, reason, and the after effects......I stated what I did in respect to the bashing of either Ron or Crystal in this thread...clear enough?

 

[elle1919]

I have not read this whole thread but I want to make sure everyone knows the forum was "Hearts for Haleigh" and the person who ran and owned that forum is a sex offender. Websleuths is in no way connected to this crap at all.

I wanted to bump in this post because I think it is important.

I never belonged to Hearts for Haleigh and WS is the only forum that I contribute to. I feel the moderation here is steps and steps above other forums and that is why I stay here.

 

[zadari]

I agree with all of your post except I believe that somebody's temper got out of control, prolly made MUCH worse due to all aspects of drug use. I'm not sure whether I believe Misty left the MH that night or not, but to be honest I haven't concentrated on that a whole lot because it's MO that something happened to HaLeigh at the hands of Ron or Misty, not intentional but nevertheless... The only reason that whether Misty was home or not matters to me at this point would be because if she was gone, I feel she was either disposing of ___, you know.. (and I don't want to type it ) or the fact that if she was with someone else, maybe she said something....(although that's not looking too promising)

You are SO RIGHT about the drugs/drug elements around HaLeigh and I have a feeling that her and Jr's whole life have been surrounded by that. It's hard for some to believe that otherwise good, decent people when using/abusing drugs can very quickly turn into someone that while they love their family they 'love' their drugs so much more that NOTHING and I mean NOTHING else matters, but sadly it does happen every minute of every day and it happens everywhere and anywhere. You know what 'they' say... There but for the grace of God go I....ok, I just realized that I am WAY OT soooo, I'll be on my way..
eta~Glad to see you posting zadari, maybe you have been for the last few months and our paths just haven't crossed!

i post here and there been busy we are trying to relocate to troy michigan .. my hubbys family is from there and i LOVE it there .. i hate wisconsin now lol .. the price of living compared to where i live here in wisconsin is better and some stuff is even less .. gas is less and cigs are less and so is food .. but then i live in a little hick town too .. cigs here are 6.75 a pack .. michigan they are less . the food is less but his family rocks and i get along well with his mom she is loads of fun .. there is so much to do there .. nothing to do here but sit on the computer go to a bar or get laid or stoned for most kids .. i dont want that for my daughter ..dan has a huge family so lots of kids kikbirds age .. SORRY for going OT LOLOL

 

[zadari]

I wanted to bump in this post because I think it is important.

I never belonged to Hearts for Haleigh and WS is the only forum that I contribute to. I feel the moderation here is steps and steps above other forums and that is why I stay here.

yep and tricia rocks

 

[bisaillon]

I thought I heard Nancy Grace discussing MC getting up that night to "use the bathroom" and even asking why she didnt use the one closest to her bedroom..But in the Police report, The Cops say she got up to get a drink http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/13/putnam.pdf

...So, which is it ?
Or did she tell two different things?

 

[Emeralgem]

I thought I heard Nancy Grace discussing MC getting up that night to "use the bathroom" and even asking why she didnt use the one closest to her bedroom..But in the Police report, The Cops say she got up to get a drink of water http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/02/13/putnam.pdf

...So, which is it ?
Or did she tell two different things?

IMHO...
She has told more than two different things...... If you watched the LVA she states she doesn't know WHY she woke up, she just woke up...She never mentions she woke up because she had to go to the bathroom, nor does she state she woke up because she needed to get a drink of water...JMO

 

[elle1919]

Did anyone ever transcribe the LVA I know there is a video of it. TIA

 

[cajun]

Is there a cost for the records that one must pay when making a formal request for them? I know nothing about the Florida Sunshine law so I was just wondering.

I really don't know if there is a cost or not. I imagine they just charge whatever for making a copy. I know Orange County, in Caylee's case, put a lot of stuff on discs. I am sure TJ's radio station is picking up the tab no matter the costs..

 

[DotsEyes]

The information that was gained by the media was that MC got up to get a glass of water. To LE MC stated that she got up to use the bathroom. TN once stated that MC didn't want to say she was going to the bathroom (shy about bathroom stuff kind of thing) so she said "to get a drink of water" at first. Then admitted it was to go to the bathroom.

But then there are tapes of her saying "I don't know why I woke up, I just woke up." Maybe she never did know what woke her and she did just "wake up", then felt the need to go to the bathroom.

Weren't county workers repairing sewer lines that day and the water was turned off in the area for a while? Why do I remember this?

It may be as simple as no tp in the master bathroom, so she had to use the other one.

 

[Pondering Mind]

The information that was gained by the media was that MC got up to get a glass of water. To LE MC stated that she got up to use the bathroom. TN once stated that MC didn't want to say she was going to the bathroom (shy about bathroom stuff kind of thing) so she said "to get a drink of water" at first. Then admitted it was to go to the bathroom.
But then there are tapes of her saying "I don't know why I woke up, I just woke up." Maybe she never did know what woke her and she did just "wake up", then felt the need to go to the bathroom.

Weren't county workers repairing sewer lines that day and the water was turned off in the area for a while? Why do I remember this?

It may be as simple as no tp in the master bathroom, so she had to use the other one.

yeah, well with all due respect... it may be that simple or as IMO it may be most likely that she is lying.

Re: TN's comments in bold...Where is that tape DotsEyes? I don't remember that one at all. TIA!

 

[texasmommy39]

yeah, well with all due respect... it may be that simple or as IMO it may be most likely that she is lying.

Re: TN's comments in bold...Where is that tape DotsEyes? I don't remember that one at all. TIA!

It is intresting to note that the blanket and sheets that where used to scent track HaLeigh where claimed to of been washed in the first place almost 6hrs prior (9:30pm-4am approximate time). Not to mention HaLeighs shirt was removed. ( maybe who ever took her had to turn on light and go thru those clothes in that laundryroom to change HaLeigh there at the back door and that is why you have an inconsistant action such as propping the screen and turning on a light... KWIM. Now I have speculated that HaLeigh is a habitual bed wetter and Misty's statements and the fact the sheets where removed from the bed and placed on the ramp almost indicates HaLeigh could of peed the bed again that night. Urin is a stong odor IMO and very well could explain a few things. The scent trail and the possibility that the scent at one point was just the abductor because HaLeigh was passed off at the waters edge but since the abductor had picked up HaLeigh while she was still wet had maintained HaLeighs urin scent. This fact could and would explain Misty's comments in regards to the blankets, the decision to pull those sheets and blankets to the ramp for the BloodHounds to obtain scent on sheets that had been so recently washed and at risk of contamination exposed as they where. I may be wrong, but, this has perplexed me for a very long time... LOL... since day one.

 

[pittsburghgirl]

I'm not responding to what CS did...I'm responding to what KP said. Hypothetically, she could have said anything. The burden of proof was on CS and she didn't meet it. It's very difficult for an "ordinary" person to get a lawyer sanctioned. Now if one attorney brings a complaint against another...that's a different story.

Good point. And Crystal may well feel she was misused, literally and metaphorically, by this attorney.

However, the attorney could be disbarred for putting false information in a letter to the court or to the bar association. So anything stated as "fact" is probably correct and supported by evidence. Certainly we all know cases where attorneys have driven rings around the truth or twisted it into a pretzel. But here the client's attorney here says:

Ms. Picazio reviewed the court file from 2005, in which she found several discrepancies in your statements that you were never served with notice of the court proceedings. In fact, Ms. Picazio found that you were served, and then failed to show up for your court date so Mr. Cummings was
awarded full custody by default.

If Picazio states "in fact" that there are "discrepancies in [Crystal's] statements" and that she was "served, and then failed to show up for [her] court date," and this statement is untrue, then she is in real trouble with the bar association. It's one thing for an attorney to provide a narrative that puts her in the best light, and I am sure KP did that--it's a no-brainer. Her career was on the line. But it is quite another thing to make a statment of fact: that Crystal was served and did not show up. So on this point, I believe KP's account. Almost certainly, she provided verification of this statement to the bar, as a simple allegation would not have passed scrutiny. This isn't a he said/she said on the cable shows.

I take most of the stuff that comes from these fringe players looking for fame or money with a giant grain of salt. And I agree that it's hard to get an attorney sanctioned or disbarred. But a document filed to the court or the bar association has a far higher level of believability because of the consequences for lying or blatant misrepresentation.

 

[elle1919]

After reading the little information that we have on the Picazio ordeal, I have developed an opinion. KP arrived in Satsuma to raise up the image of a missing child's mother. Nancy Grace had her way with Crystal on about the second or third day after Crystal's daughter disappeared off the face of the earth. I think that Crystal was honest and did the best she could to defend herself against a veteran prosecutor and victim's advocate. Crystal was a victim and honestly I can't believe she continued to give interviews to NG. There were other journalists that were much more sympathetic to Crystal. But, Crystal pushed on and perhaps Picazio felt a tug at her heartstrings and decided to travel north to try to help. When she arrived and began collecting the facts, I believe, she realized very quickly that the odds were against her. Since only she and Crystal knew the intimate details of their discussions about Haleigh and Crystals past with RC, I have no way of determining if either was untruthful.

Having said that, as an outsider looking in to all of this, I think Picazio went about the whole situation wrong and it was not necessary to raise the abuse allegations 1 month after Haleigh went missing. It instantly created a he said/ she said situation and took the focus completely off Haleigh Cummings and her disappearance and created a competition of who was the better parent. The community and the world should have seen the angelic little girl with her mothers eyes and her fathers smile instead of the clear and present dysfunction in recent years. Haleigh went missing from her fathers home. If the country believed that Haleigh was kidnapped by a family member why would they bother looking for Haleigh? If the country believed that Ronald was a drug dealer and Haleigh was taken to pay a drug debt, why would the country bother looking for Haleigh? They wouldn't in my opinion.

There was no reason for Picazio to try to improve Crystal's reputation in anyway. Just because Ronald had custody didn't mean that Crystal wasn't PRESENTLY a good mother. Picazio could have represented Crystal without trying to trash the father of Haleigh Cummings by giving pictures that were taken in NOVEMBER to the media, specifically Art Harris.. I don't believe that is something that Crystal would have done on her own if Picazio hadn't have said it might work. As time went on, things long resolved came up on both side of these parents. More he said/ she said and the rest is history. Crystal was fine the way she was and in my opinion it was wrong for KP to treat her the way she did. But, she is a lawyer and lawyers want to win no matter if it is right or wrong. It is all about the record and all about the win. Haleigh was forgotten, but what's done is done and there is always time to screw your head back on straight and make things right.

If Picazio releases information about Crystal now to use against her because she now has to protect her reputation as a lawyer, I will not believe a word of it, KP will be employing the same tactics to protect herself that she used against Ronald. It will all be about making Crystal look inadequate and KP look decent. Just my opinion but a leopard can't change their spots. I just hope and pray that this all comes out and gets done with so people can get back to focusing on Haleigh Cummings. Just My Opinions!!

 

[pittsburghgirl]

Elle, thanks for your usual thoughtful post. To my mind, Crystal needed someone to help her with the media; Nancy Grace whacks Crystal around like a pinata, which I find painful to watch and totally unnecessary. But in all of these missing child cases, the parents have to be very careful not to end up with media reps and attorneys who are little more than leeches looking for a way to promote themselves.

I still believe that Picazio's was telling the truth when she reported that Crystal was indeed served and thus had to know about the custody hearing. However, the rest of your post seems right on to me. It's unfathomable that either side would raise child support issues while Haleigh was, really, newly missing. I very much agree that the whole "who was/is a better parent" sidetracked the search for Haleigh and is still setting the tone on forums like this one.

 

[elle1919]

Elle, thanks for your usual thoughtful post. To my mind, Crystal needed someone to help her with the media; Nancy Grace whacks Crystal around like a pinata, which I find painful to watch and totally unnecessary. But in all of these missing child cases, the parents have to be very careful not to end up with media reps and attorneys who are little more than leeches looking for a way to promote themselves.

I still believe that Picazio's was telling the truth when she reported that Crystal was indeed served and thus had to know about the custody hearing. However, the rest of your post seems right on to me. It's unfathomable that either side would raise child support issues while Haleigh was, really, newly missing. I very much agree that the whole "who was/is a better parent" sidetracked the search for Haleigh and is still setting the tone on forums like this one.

lol....I absolutely believe that KP was telling the truth about Crystal being served for the custody hearing, I left that part out. My husband was standing over my shoulder urging me on so we could go shopping. He is such a woman. I hate shopping, he loves it.

Anyway, I was sure grateful to have the information come out if only to confirm what I, you, , and others suspected after reading all the custody documents that were available for us to read. I also agree that crystal needed so help with the media, but KP did not serve her well in my honest opinion. She could have left out the underhanded tactics and made much more of an impression.

 

[debs]

This would be the same attorney who made the claim that justice was not served when custody was assigned? ok.

 

[Flossie JMO]

lol....I absolutely believe that KP was telling the truth about Crystal being served for the custody hearing, I left that part out. My husband was standing over my shoulder urging me on so we could go shopping. He is such a woman. I hate shopping, he loves it.

Anyway, I was sure grateful to have the information come out if only to confirm what I, you, , and others suspected after reading all the custody documents that were available for us to read. I also agree that crystal needed so help with the media, but KP did not serve her well in my honest opinion. She could have left out the underhanded tactics and made much more of an impression.

bbm, Kim knew that on her first day imo, same as everyone else

 

[Pondering Mind]

Ok, for the sake of argument, (although I thought KP posted otherwise here at one time, but don't have access to the social group convos anymore) lets say Crystal WAS served and she lied about it.....can someone please help me out here, would this have anything to do with HaLeighs disappearance? I feel like I've missed out on some major developments and can't figure out what it is! Anyone??? :waitasec:

 

[elle1919]

You are right Pondering Mind, It probably doesn't. But, since this information came out it has brought confirmation of what many have suspected. See, it was being posted that Ronald had custody of the children only by deception. It was posted that Ronald lied to the courts and gave a false address, there was no proof to support that statement and I personally thought it was all done in an attempt to further make Ronald appear vicious and mean. He is still the father of a missing child.

I am not trying to make the man into a saint because that will never ever be. But he isn't the lying miscreant that some would have others believe. This case is ugly enough with all the twists and turns and there is no reason to post a lie as a fact. yet that is exactly what was being done in regards to the custody hearing.