STUPID DJ TRICKS: Part 16

After a week of Stupid DJ tricks I start to lose interest. In real-time, I lose interest even faster than that.  I don't care if they're snorting their Cheerios down at the frat house, the morning zoo doesn't grab me. But this one is no morning zoo moment. It's nuanced, in a daytime TV drama sort of way. More here and here.

Our tale begins in Cincinnati on WLW-AM with radio host Eric Deters, who is also a licensed lawyer. You can see his own website here. He was very vocal and very active. According to the Kentucky Trial Court Review he has tried more civil jury trials than any lawyer in Northern Kentucky. That may or may nor be a good ting depending on your point of view. He's also a mixed martial artist cage fighter... yes a bit of an odd duck.  So don't get on his case, he'll sue you, kick your ass then tell everyone about it on WLW.

Despite his legal training Deters ended up in a big of legal trouble. The Kentucky Bar Association brought a suit against him that levy's six charges against him for violating the rules of professional conduct. One of them specifically dealt with his evening program on WLW.  He is accused of calling Grant Circuit Judge Stephen Bates an "unfair."  Bates had ruled against him in the case of a Grant County school bus crash in January of 2007. Apparently this is not something you can say about a judge on the radio.

Being a lawyer Deters filed a federal lawsuit against the Kentucky Bar Association to stop the proceedings against him. He felt the rules of professional conduct stifled free speech. Deters suit even claimed that the trial commissioner, Frank Doheny, was biased and refused to recuse himself. Deters is known for filing medical malpractice suits and Doheny for defending them. Deters has run for public office against some of the other members which intimates other personal motivations. The situation just sounds a bit off, you might even think that they had it in for him a bit. Well so did he.

Deters asked for a restraining order to prevent a trial and for an injunction to stop the bar proceedings against him.  He sought a new trail commissioner and a ruling that the bar’s Rules of Professional Conduct stifles free speech. U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves held a hearing in Frankfort, KY. Reeves shot down Deters and he ended up having a confidential disciplinary proceeding with the bar association. He lost the injunction, and he lost the appeal. But the tumult continued, Deters evening program on WLW was terminated, but his part time talk-program continued. Whatever was going on behind the scenes, Deters sued Kenton Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders for libel over comments he posted on twitter. Kenton Circuit Court Judge Martin Sheehan tossed that one too and made a side comment that summarized the problem nicely:

“The state’s interest in protecting the free and open expression of opinions cannot be lost on Deters, an individual who, when not practicing law, hosts what can certainly be termed a highly opinionated radio talk show.”