Anonymous ‘Lawyer’ may be revealed

One of the legal community's best kept secrets could be revealed as early as next week under a judicial officer's ruling.

The identity of "Lawyer" - the pseudonym of an anonymous online commenter on the Las Vegas Review-Journal's website - has been for weeks the cause of rampant speculation around the Regional Justice Center.

On Wednesday, discovery commissioner Bonnie Bulla denied a motion by "Lawyer" lawyer Tony Abbatangelo to quash a subpoena by former prosecutor Mary Brown and her husband, Phil Brown, who have filed a defamation lawsuit against the anonymous commenter.

The Browns - Phil Brown is also an attorney - say a comment posted by "Lawyer" stating Mary Brown "had sexual relations in order to get promoted" within the district attorney's office is false and has harmed their reputations.

After Bulla's ruling, Review-Journal lawyer Mark Hinueber said the newspaper will comply with a valid court order in the case.

The commissioner's ruling can be appealed to District Judge Gloria Sturman, who could issue an order to the newspaper to reveal the information as early as next week. Abbatangelo did not return multiple messages seeking comment.

Meanwhile, the mystery of who the commenter is has piqued the curiosity of many in the courthouse.

"I'd love to know who it is," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Lalli, who added he has never posted a comment on the newspaper's website.

Defense attorney Monti Levy said she wants to know who it is just so others can stop saying it's her.

"I want everyone to know it's not me," Levy said.

Abbatangelo filed the motion to quash after learning the Review-Journal had been subpoenaed by the Browns to turn over information about the anonymous commenter, including the person's email address. The person was notified of the subpoena by the Review-Journal. The newspaper is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

In his motion, Abbatangelo cited U.S. Supreme Court doctrine that says anonymous speech is protected by the First Amendment.

Abbatangelo added that "disclosure of his or her identity would effectively ruin 'Lawyer's' career. He or she would be reported to the bar, likely suspended, and not able to practice."

According to the motion, "Lawyer" has also taken shots at judges, police and other public officials. The Browns' attorney, Gregory Denue, did not return multiple messages seeking comment.

According to the lawsuit, the accusation appeared five times under four news stories last year that detailed accusations of an inappropriate relationship between Family Court Judge Steven Jones and former prosecutor Lisa Willardson.

Mary Brown, who headed the juvenile division of the district attorney's office until she resigned April 2, was one of Willardson's supervisors. Willardson was fired Dec. 13.

The comments are no longer posted on the stories on the Review-Journal's website. The actual statements have not been listed in court documents.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.