Karma’s a Bitch

Attorney finds that what goes around comes around   Trial attorney and shameless self-promoter Joseph R. Neal Jr., 44, has had a pretty difficult few weeks recently. In a public Richmond County Sheriff’s Department incident report, an unnamed 18-year-old complainant and victim (identifying information redacted) alleged that Neal gave her “4 to 5 alcoholic drinks and marijuana causing her to become intoxicated” and then “had carnal knowledge of her without her consent and against her will.” The incident report, which is captioned with the incident type of “rape,” was taken on December 20 with an incident date of December 16. The day after the incident report was taken, Neal, according to another public Sherriff’s Department incident report, called police to his home to defend him from his 23-year-old wife, with whom he is currently undergoing legal proceedings to dissolve their May 2011 marriage, and who Neal has alleged “accidently slammed his head in a door” and “scratched him.” Mrs. Neal was taken by ambulance to Trinity Hospital, treated for her injuries and taken into police custody upon her release. Perhaps the timing of the attack was coincidental. Neal is no stranger to these pages. A self-styled “warrior for justice” and graduate of infamous trial attorney Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer College, Neal has been representing clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases for more than a decade. He has also taken on every high-profile case he could find to inject himself into the public eye. He represented citizen activist Woody Merry in action against Augusta-Richmond County. He sued the makers of the Cabbage Patch Kids. He filed suit against comedian Tommy Davidson in a civil rape case. While the allegations against Neal are, at this point, just allegations and no charges have been filed against him, could he find himself on the receiving end of a civil rape case notwithstanding the outcome of any potential rape case? As this insider recalls, Davidson was not charged with rape. Oh, the irony. You Might Also Like: