For Immediate Release

	February 9, 2004 COMMITTEE OF LAWYERS APPOINTED TO REVIEW HANDCUFFING INCIDENT WASHINGTON - The National Bar Association, through its Florida Affiliate, has appointed a Committee of distinguished lawyers from Florida to look into an incident earlier this month in which a an assistant public defender, was declared to be in contempt of court, handcuffed and then confined in the courtroom's jury box with her jail-inmate clients, as the judge continued hearing other cases. The Committee of Florida lawyers include: Warren Hope Dawson, of Tampa, a Past-President of the National Bar Association, and a past Member of The Florida Supreme Court's Bench and Bar Committee; Henry Latimer, of Fort Lauderdale, a current member of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar, and a former Circuit Judge; Cynthia A. Everett, of Coral Gables, a former member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors and a past President of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association; Evett Simmons, of Port St. Lucie, a Past-President of the National Bar Association, and a former member of Florida's Judicial Qualifications Commission; and F. Malcolm Cunningham, Jr., of West Palm Beach, former Chairman, Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission, and a previous Special Counsel to Florida's Judicial Qualifications Commission. The Committee Chairman, Warren Hope Dawson, said "The National Bar Association has decided to look into this matter because the Association has a continuing interest in preserving mutual respect between Bench and Bar, and because of the Association's historical commitment to the fair administration of justice." This incident occurred in Kissimmee, Florida, and involved Circuit Judge, Margaret Waller and assistant public defender, Kemie King. The National Bar Association is this nation's largest association of lawyers, judges, law professors and law students of color. Veronica Valdez, of Orlando, is President of the Association's Florida Affiliate: The Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter, National Bar Association. CONTACT: Megan Alexa Carpenter @ 202-842-3900 Email: mcarpenter@nationalbar.org