Attorney’s libel suit to proceed

The libel suit attorney Kirk Anderson thought he had won in November against the former Commissioner of Police Ornel Brooks and Inspector Eli Salazar is anything but over. On Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Murray Shanks overturned the previous decision and ordered that the matter go to trial. Both sides are saying “No problem,” and claim the evidence is on their side. Anderson filed the suit against Brooks and Salazar last year, after they alleged to the media, that he attempted to obstruct justice by telling the girlfriend of a murder suspect to destroy evidence. The case in question, was the murder of twelve year old Jackie Fern Malic and police had just charged Michael Williams with the crime. While Brooks and Eli Salazar claimed they had testimony from the girlfriend, Julie Staine, to prove the allegation, they never filed any charges against Anderson. The attorney however turned around and filed libel suits against both Brooks and Salazar. Last October, the registrar general ruled in favor of Anderson because both Brooks and Salazar had failed to respond to the charges. Even with that default decision now overturned, Kirk Anderson tells us that he is “very confident” going into trial and says now “the truth will come out.” Anderson says he has sworn affidavits from Julie Staine to support his case. Ornel Brooks however, also told News Five this evening that HE also has statements from Staine that will support HIS case and adds that “the nation would now be truly informed of the facts contained in the statement from Julie Staine.” The attorney for Brooks and Salazar, Merlene Moody, has declined to comment. As for Michael Williams, he was released after the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Adolph Lucas, decided that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. Jackie Malic’s murder is still unsolved.