Lawyer arrested on forgery charge in Pinellas courtroom

LARGO — In an unusual event, lawyer Ronald Kurpiers was arrested on a warrant Thursday while in court on an unrelated case.

Pinellas Jail records indicated Kurpiers was arrested on a charge of forgery and on another charge of "false or fraudulent acknowledgement," both felonies. He was released on $2,000 bail.

Kurpiers is a well-regarded former federal prosecutor who now works in criminal defense. He helped win an acquittal for Tenesia Brown, a former St. Petersburg foster mother charged with first-degree murder in the death of an infant in her care.

Kurpiers was scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning for a hearing in another shaken-baby case against a former Palm Harbor Day Care provider, Stephanie Spurgeon.