Inadmissible

Robert Mustard Jr., a disbarred lawyer identified by Dallas police as the alleged shooter at a Dallas office building incident March 8, died without revealing his motive for allegedly shooting a father and son. Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse of the Dallas Police Department says Mustard, 60, died March 10 from what police say was a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the head. “The case is closed,” Janse says, “We don’t know of a motive.” However, Janse says Mustard was a client of Smith Financial Services Group, which is owned by the victims, Richard Floyd Smith and his son, Christopher Smith. Some details about Mustard’s life have emerged since the shootings. Kim Cobb, a spokeswoman for Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law , notes in an e-mail that Mustard received his law degree at SMU in 1978. As noted on the State Bar of Texas Web site, Mustard was licensed to practice law on May 28, 1979. Chris Bowers , first assistant city attorney for Dallas, says Mustard worked in the Dallas City Attorney’s Office from April 27, 1983, to June 18, 1984. According to a Texas Department of Public Safety report provided by Bowers, Dallas police arrested Mustard for bribery of a public servant in February 1985. Michelle Lyons, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, says Mustard received a 10-year sentence in June 1987 after being convicted of bribery. TDCJ received Mustard on Nov. 13, 1987, and he was released on parole on Dec. 4, 1988, Lyons says. As noted on the State Bar’s Web site, Mustard was disbarred. According to the disciplinary petition in State Bar of Texas v. Mustard , Mustard faced compulsory discipline after the 1985 conviction of bribery, a felony of moral turpitude. Maureen Ray , spokeswoman for the State Bar’s Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel , provided copies of the disciplinary petition and the June 13, 1988, judgment of disbarment. Lyons says TDCJ parole records show Mustard received executive clemency and a full pardon on Sept. 14, 1990. Bill Clements was governor at the time.

Lawyer in Limelight

Mo’Nique, who won the best supporting actress Academy Award March 7 for her work in the movie “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” included Houston entertainment lawyer Ricky Anderson on a short list of people she thanked during her acceptance speech. “Thank you for your hard work,” Mo’Nique said to Anderson during her speech. “That was very, very kind of her. I’m kind of a quiet guy,” says Anderson, managing partner of Anderson & Smith , who says he’s represented Mo’Nique for about 14 or 15 years. He says she was referred to him by another client, probably comedian Steve Harvey, who is the new host of game show “Family Feud.” Anderson says he can’t talk specifically about the work he does for Mo’Nique, but he notes that her comment on the Academy Awards broadcast “made it well known I do represent her.” Mo’Nique has a talk show on the BET network called “The Mo’Nique Show.” Anderson says he’s an avid viewer of award shows such as the Academy Awards because he likes to keep up with the industry. Anderson’s client list also includes gospel singer and Houston native Yolanda Adams.

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