Lawyer in cases against MU, Columbia Police Department temporarily suspended
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Supreme Court has issued an interim suspension against an attorney who was handling multiple lawsuits against the University of Missouri and Columbia Police Department.
The Supreme Court issued an order of interim suspensions against Matthew Alexander Perry on Friday, April 25. The motion for interim suspension issued by the Missouri bar contained four counts.
Count 1 included 55 instances in which Perry failed to appear in court. In Count 2, the Camden County assistant prosecuting attorney argued that Perry had a consistent history of missing court appearances, arriving late and filing motions that were inaccurate, unsupported by facts, case law or procedural and statutory authority.
Count 3 -- issued by the Task Force Commander of the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force -- alleged that Perry filed a motion in Camden County that made false allegations about one of the Task Force’s detectives.
Count 4 alleged that on Oct. 24, 2024, one of Perry’s criminal defendants alleged that Perry missed a court date and did not inform the defendant of when the court date was. The defendant also alleged that when he had meetings with Perry, they were in his car and that he had “open alcohol in his car.”
ABC 17 News reached out to the Camden County prosecutors' office for comment.
A Change.org petition launched by Kandas Holmes-Barnes to reinstate Perry states that on Jan. 23, 2022, he defended multiple attempted murder cases, "demonstrating his integrity and commitment to the community." The petition also claims there are numerous witnesses "who have suffered as well, ready to vouch for the authenticity of their personal horrors and the many untruths that Alex has been working hard to uncover."
Mike Mehrdad said he picked Perry to help represent him for four cases against the University of Missouri and the Columbia Police Department, two of which were federal.
Mehrdad said the federal case against CPD stems from an incident where an officer allegedly entered his home, took a rifle valued at nearly $5,000 and destroyed it.
“One of the officers must have liked one of my rifles. It was a classic. He took it without a search warrant, without anything,” Mehrdad said.
Meanwhile, his federal case against MU alleges the university would not let him collect his retirement after seven years of being employed, then later banned him from campus.
The University of Missouri declined to comment.
“Two of my cases that Mr. Perry has been representing me are federal cases. One of them, in fact, I received two letters from the Missouri Human Rights Commission, letters to sue, and received a letter from the U.S. Department of Labor,” Mehrdad said. “I [also] received two letters from the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. to sue.”
His other two cases that Perry was representing him were also against CPD alleged that the department violated Sunshine Law and that officers were allegedly caught on camera taking items from his home without a warrant.
“I searched to find the lawyers who have what it takes to represent me for federal and state cases,” Mehrdad said. “I found Mr. Alex Perry. I find him very conscientious, extremely brave, and extremely intelligent. He's got the extensive experience of challenging the government officials.”
However, Mehrdad said he learned of Perry’s temporary suspension two days ago, but has remained in contact.
“I was totally shocked, and I still don't know the forensics of it. I don't know the details. But I know this is just a temporary suspension,” Mehrdad said.
Mehrdad spent his Wednesday in Jefferson City talking to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel and the Supreme Court.
“They are all aware of my cases because my cases are very high profile, as it has been since 2015, unfortunately, and they are helping me to replace a Mr. Perry, but they're allowing Mr. Perry to cooperate.”
ABC 17 News reached out to Perry for comment.
Check back for updates.
