Attorney Blamed For Stabbing

Abbevillenow.com reports:

The alleged illegal actions of an Abbeville attorney may have provoked an Abbeville man to stab his friend while he slept.

Paul Breaux was arrested last month and charged with attempted second degree murder after allegedly stabbing Lucian Marks, a friend and relative of Breaux, who awoke to find Breaux on top of him with a knife.

Marks, who almost died because of complications of the stabbing, is home and recovering. Breaux, on the other hand, is still in jail.

A few days before the stabbing, Marks, his wife, Elsie, and Breaux visited the Abbeville Police Station and filed a complaint against Abbeville attorney Kevin Rees. Breaux, who hired Rees, accused Rees of stealing $60,000 from him.

The stabbing occurred the Friday morning. The Monday before, Breaux learned Rees allegedly forged his name on an insurance settlement check for $60,000 without him knowing a settlement was reached. Breaux and Marks went to the police station that same day to file a complaint against Rees.

According to Marks, the news of the check signing outraged Breaux and caused him to drink alcohol for a few nights. He was drunk when the police arrested him for the stabbing.

“I really think the stabbing occurred because of the attorney,” said Marks. “He may not have gotten drunk.”

“We want to catch this guy,” said Elsie. “I do not think this would have happened had it not been for him (Rees).”

Breaux and Marks learned of the settlement check from an attorney in Lafayette, who wanted to know if they had received the check. Breaux said Rees had contacted them and they were waiting for him to call about the settlement check. The call never came.

The Abbeville Police Department is searching for Rees and would like him to come in for questioning about Breaux’s complaint and two other complaints similar to Breaux’s.

Detective R.J. Thibodeaux said he will give Rees a few more days to come in to the police station for questioning. If he does not show, the police are expected to issue a warrant for his arrest, Thibodeaux said.

Karen Woods of New Iberia filed a complaint with the Abbeville Police Department against Rees on Tuesday. Woods said Rees allegedly cashed a $50,000 insurance settlement check without her knowing. Woods said Rees endorsed the back of the settlement check without her even knowing there was a check made out to her.

Today, Woods said she is getting medical bills from doctors and hospitals for tests that were done after the accident. The bills total $25,000, and she has no means of paying them except for the settlement check.

“My credit is being destroyed because of him,” said Woods.

The Louisiana Supreme Court has suspended the attorney on an interim basis. I’m not sure that the misappropriation led to stabbing theory is sound under the Palsgraf case. (Mike Frisch)