KPD files charges against attorney

This story was published Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 in the Tri-City Herald. By Nathan Isaacs, Herald staff writer.

Kennewick has filed charges against defense attorney Jim Egan for his attempts to contact a would-be client during a double homicide investigation.

However, Egan and Kennewick City Attorney John Ziobro are optimistic a resolution can be reached before the issue reaches trial.

Egan, a longtime Tri-Cities attorney, is charged with obstructing a police officer. He filed a letter with the Benton County District Court on Friday pleading innocent to the charge.

"I don't think I'm guilty of anything," Egan said Monday. However, he declined to discuss the case further.

Egan was arrested Aug. 4 after he tried to stop police from questioning Cameron Jones about the shooting deaths of Linda and Danielle Moreno. James Moran, who shot and killed himself the same day as Egan's arrest, has since been identified as the prime suspect in the case, along with two others in custody.

Egan had been hired that day by Jones' father to represent Jones, who was in custody on charges unrelated to the Moreno shootings. Egan said he is representing Jones on allegations of criminal trespass and bail jumping. Jones also faces two counts of first-degree burglary.

Egan had tried to reach Jones in the Benton County jail, but was told he was in the custody of Kennewick police. Kennewick police, Egan said at the time, would not tell him Jones' location.

Egan then went to the police station, but was denied access to Jones by a detective and deputy prosecutor because Jones had not asked to speak to an attorney.

As a detective and deputy prosecutor were returning to a secure part of the station, Egan reportedly began yelling to Jones that his lawyer was there in the hopes Jones would hear him.

That's when Egan was arrested, taken to the Benton County jail where he was searched, fingerprinted and photographed before being released.

Egan later was able to talk with Jones. At the time, Egan said he planned to fight the obstruction charge.

Ziobro said the city has a strong case against Egan. However, the city doesn't want to start prosecuting local attorneys. "Ideally, there's a graceful way to do this short of a trial or criminal conviction," he said.

"We're at a stage where a realistic offer either way hasn't been made," Ziobro said.

Attorney Todd Harms is representing Egan. Another hearing is set for Aug. 31.