By RENEE WINKLER
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN
Joseph Caruso, a former city prosecutor who played a part in the downfall of former Camden Mayor Milton Milan, has lost his law license until February 2003.
Caruso had surrendered his license to the state's Supreme Court on Feb. 8, 2000, a week after he pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to promote bribery.
He was sentenced to a probationary term that included six months of house arrest.
The guilty plea covered Caruso's participation in a scheme with Milan to seek and accept a $5,000 payment from another lawyer, Eliott Stomel. In return for the money, the mayor was to support Stomel's reappointment as Camden City' s public defender. Stomel had reported the payment demand to the U.S. Attorney's Office and taped conversations with Caruso. A jury that heard testimony on the bribery charge was unable to reach a verdict and Caruso later pleaded guilty.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and defense attorney Jeffrey Zucker reached a plea agreement that included the rarely- used charge of interstate travel, because Caruso and Milan talked about the $5,000 payment during a drive to a dinner in Pennsylvania.
Caruso testified in the corruption trial of Milan in the fall of 2000.
The Disciplinary Review Board, which reviews ethics complaints against lawyers, had the option of imposing a suspension that would begin to run now, in effect continuing Caruso's bar on practicing law until June 2005. The decision to impose the suspension retroactively is based, in part, on Caruso's cooperation in the Milan investigation and prosecution, according to a court order filed last week.
Caruso appeared to be repentant when he was sentenced on the federal charge in March 2001. As a result of the criminal charge, Caruso lost a $550,000 line of credit he needed to run two companies, C&C and Shai Daniels construction. His companies remain an approved contractor for government projects.
Reach Renee Winkler at (856) 486-2455 or rwinkler@courierpostonline.com
