Attorney for former assistant prosecutor says videos aren’t that bad
TRENTON » The attorney for former assistant prosecutor Stephen Parrey, speaking for the first time publicly since his client was hooked and booked for DUI, doesn’t care if he was forced to resign from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
He has bigger problems in trying to get his client, the son of Trenton Police director Ernest Parrey Jr., off following his embarrassing Sept. 8 arrest for allegedly driving drunk following an office bash.
Stephen Parrey’s arrest has been a hot topic since The Trentonian published videos showing him stumbling over himself, slurring his words and talking about trying to keep from wetting himself during a blow test at Hamilton Police headquarters.
Les Hartman, who represents Stephen Parrey, said he had “zero discussion” with his client about whether he was asked to step down from the MCPO. Stephen Parrey has since landed on his feet with a law firm that has connections to his dad.
The prosecutor’s office has repeatedly declined to comment on Parrey’s case after initially suspending him without pay. He resigned in October.
Hartman’s focus is defending the younger Parrey from a DUI rap while trying to deflect bad press.
“Nobody likes negative publicity, but I can’t speak for if he’s embarrassed,” Hartman said. “Sometimes you take a look at your life” and realize it’s time to move on.
Stephen Parrey’s attorney added he was glad he “found someone to take him on” after he left the prosecutor’s office.
Despite the public humiliation, Stephen Parrey was hired by the Mount Laurelbased firm of Saponaro Law Group, according to the New Jersey Courts attorney index.
The law firm has a contract with Trenton for $60,000 for legal services and was at one point representing Stephen Parrey’s dad against a lawsuit. After The Trentonian revealed the connection, the city claimed it had the law firm withdraw from the director’s case following his son’s acquisition.
Hartman has his hands full defending Parrey, whose case was transferred to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office to avoid an appearance of impropriety.
A conference call was held this week but the case hasn’t been set for trial and prosecutors have not made an offer to Parrey, who could potentially lose his license for months if he’s found guilty of a first offense.
The police report showed he blew a .2, more than twice the presumed level of intoxication, despite telling a Hamilton cop he only had one beer. Parrey had been pulled over following a prosecutor’s office party where alcohol was served.
Hartman will try to get the results of the Alcotest thrown out but couldn’t yet say on what grounds he hopes to convince a judge the blow test is inadmissible.
The videos appear to be a bigger problem.
Body camera and footage released from police headquarters show Parrey struggling to perform field sobriety tests, making bizarre jokes and lying to the cops about how much he had to drink.
“You said you only had one beer, right?” Hamilton Police officer Jose Anaya asked Stephen Parrey.
“Sure,” he responded. Stephen Parrey, who was listed at 170 pounds in a police report, would have had to consume between eight to 10 drinks to register a blood alcohol level ranging from .17 to .23, according to a BAC chart.
In the DUI room, the former assistant prosecutor cracked jokes and appeared to incriminate himself.
“You gotta put your lips around the mouthpiece and blow into it like you’re blowing into a straw,” the cop said at one point.
“I kinda figured that’s how it worked, but I wasn’t sure,” Stephen Parrey quipped, sarcastically.
“That’s a joke,” he said. “Oh, it’s a joke?” the cop responded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t get it.”
After the blow test wrapped up, Parrey asked the cop, “Does it tell you my score right here, right now?”
“Yeah, it’ll print out,” the cop said.
“Ok cool. Not proud of it or anything,” Parrey responded. “Just wondering.”
Hartman said the videos aren’t as bad as they seem and he plans to “counteract” them.
“You’re only seeing a piece of the puzzle,” he said.