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Tampa attorney Barry Cohen, representing accused perjurer, calls Polk Sheriff Grady Judd unprofessional narcissist

 
Published Sept. 26, 2016

TAMPA — Tampa attorney Barry Cohen is speaking up for client Chester Kwitowski and lashing out at Polk Sheriff Grady Judd for what Cohen called a "total lack of professionalism" and a "transparent display of narcissism."

Cohen sent a letter to Judd's office on Friday, a day after Kwitowski was arrested and charged with five counts of lying under oath about his credentials as an expert witness in computer forensics. The 57-year-old Tampa resident specialized in testifying for the defense in child sex cases.

At a news conference Thursday, Judd referred to Kwitowski as "Chester, the defender of molesters."

Cohen said that kind of rhetoric could taint the jury pool and hinder his client's ability to get a fair trial.

"You have an interesting propensity for violating every rule of propriety when it comes to the presumption of innocence, guaranteed to every citizen of the United States, including people who live and work in Polk County," Cohen wrote.

"I respectfully request that you cease any further effort to poison the jury pool in Polk County, and respectfully request that you refrain from further proving to the people of Polk County, and the surrounding counties, how politically popular you can make yourself by stomping on the most precious of a citizen's rights — the presumption of innocence."

Cohen went on: "Your total lack of professionalism and your transparent display of narcissism, and your proclivity to show the public what a 'bada-- sheriff you are at the expense of the presumption of innocence is a disgrace and discredit to all good law enforcement people ... ."

READ MORE: Defrocked expert witness in child sex cases 'squeaked by' with little vetting

In an interview Monday, Cohen said Kwitowski was "shocked" by his arrest and has "a very good faith basis to believe everything he said was true."

"This case is very defendable and I intend to defend it very zealously," Cohen said.

Donna Wood, a spokeswoman for Judd, said the sheriff had not seen the letter and has no interest in seeing it. Wood called the letter a "document of psychological projection." In other words, she said, the "pot calling the kettle black."

"It should be about the fact that we have a con artist who perjured himself at least five times," she said. "How many other cases are out there?"