An Ohio lawyer named Jack Blakeslee is accused of pooping into an empty Pringles can and throwing it into the parking lot of the victim’s advocacy center before an early morning court appearance. See Disciplinary Counsel v. Jack Allen Blakslee, Case No. 2022-046 (Ohio Board of Professional Conduct Nov. 22, 2022).
As alleged in the complaint, Mr. Blakeslee represented a criminal defendant on charges of aggravated murder. Michelle Wilkinson-Carpenter was the victim advocate involved with the case. She was also the Executive Director of the Haven of Hope, a local victims advocacy center. Mr. Blakeslee and Ms. Wilkinson-Carpenter had known each other professionally for many years.
On the day of his client’s pretrial hearing, Mr. Blakeslee “deposited his feces into an empty potato chip can before leaving his home. He did not put a lid on the can. Respondent drove with the can of feces to” the victim’s advocacy center. See id. at ¶ 15. Mr. Blakeslee slowed his vehicle as he passed the victim’s advocacy center and threw the can of Pringles containing his feces out of the window of his car and into the center’s parking lot. Ms. Wilkinson-Carpenter approached the Pringles can, which landed close to her car, and discovered it contained human feces. Ms. Wilkinson-Carpenter then left for the courthouse. Upon her arrival, she saw Mr. Blakeslee also present for the pretrial hearing in the criminal case.
Mr. Blakeslee was charged with and pled guilty to disorderly conduct and littering. This is not, however, the first time Mr. Blakeslee has deposited his feces into chip containers. In fact, Mr. Blakeslee has engaged in similar conduct on approximately ten other occasions. The Ohio Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct has filed a complaint against Mr. Blakeslee and is now questioning his fitness his practice law.
