Authorities in North Carolina have brought charges against a lawyer who allegedly punched a woman before faking a seizure after she was arrested at her Charlotte law office. According to Law & Crime, Mary Leazer Rogers, 53, allegedly punched the woman multiple times during an argument about a client.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said officers responded to Rogers’ law firm on Monday after they received an assault report. The face of a woman the officers found at the scene was described as bloodied and scratched-up.
The victim claimed that Rogers had leveled an allegation of her having a personal relationship with a client who was initially at the office on the day of the incident, the suspect’s arrest affidavit stated. The victim also informed officers that she had turned down Rogers’ efforts to “have a sexual relationship” with her, per the affidavit. Rogers then started “arguing with the victim and cursing at the victim.” The suspect is said to have proceeded to assault the victim around that time.
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The victim accused Rogers of punching her in the face five times. And though officers ultimately arrested Rogers, the 53-year-old became aggressive and allegedly kicked an officer’s leg as they were taking her to the patrol car. The affidavit stated that she also spat in another officer’s face, Law & Crime reported.
Rogers was also told to sit up when she laid down after being placed in the patrol car. But she did not comply. She later forcefully exited the patrol car when officers were attempting to make her sit up.
“The suspect was screaming and cursing during this time and caused a scene as many people came out of their office places to see what was going on,” the officers wrote.
The officers also suspected she was experiencing a seizure and needed medical attention. But she informed medical staff she was faking the seizure after she was taken to the hospital. The officers also accused Rogers of spitting at a staff member of the hospital.
Rogers faces a slew of charges including simple assault, assault on a government official or employee and two counts of malicious conduct by a prisoner. She was later released after posting bond.
The accused lawyer’s website states that she served as a “prosecutor in the District Attorney’s office in Mecklenburg County for several years, where she handled the very types of cases she defends today.”
She also studied at Davidson College and North Carolina Chapel Hill.
