There's new evidence in the case of the Tampa law firm accused of setting up a rival attorney for driving under the influence.
Court records show there's a secret recording of legal secretary Melissa Personius confessing to the trap in return for a big bonus. The recording was videotaped by Personius' ex-husband, and turned over the the Florida Bar.
The recording stems from the DUI arrest of Phill Campbell in January of 2013 during the MJ Schnitt and Bubba the Love Sponge trial.
Campbell's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, explained why Kristopher Personius secretly recorded his ex-wife.
"He said that he felt threatened basically by Melissa because she made a statement to him that you can see what we did to Phil Campbell, imagine what we can do to you or something to that affect and he was afraid,” Fitzgibbons said.
Personius' ex-husband, Kris, said in the recording Melissa talks about how her bosses, Stephen Diaco, Robert Adams and Adam Filthaut, orchestrated Campbell's DUI arrest with Tampa police.
Sergeant Ray Fernandez was fired by the Tampa Police Department for his role in the set-up.
That secret recording is powerful evidence for the Florida bar, but the Tampa law firm's attorney is trying to get it tossed out.
The attorney for the Adams and Diaco law firm calls that secret recording illegal, and does not want that audio coming into the trial for the three lawyers who are facing disbarment from the Florida bar.
"It explains why Steve Diaco, Robert Adams and Adam Filthaut are doing their best to keep Kris Personius from testifying at the trial, trying to keep the recording out of the trial because they know that it eliminates any defense, any conceivable defense," said Fitzgibbons.
Fitzgibbons said Kris Personius contacted Campbell about the recording last May, and at that time the recording was turned over to the FBI.
Fitzgibbons says the Adams and Diaco law firm is trying to hide the truth.
"This is another desperate attempt by Stephen Diaco, Robert Adams and Adam Filthaut to keep the full story from being told of what happened that night of the DUI setup,” said Fitzgibbons. “It's hard to understand why they don't want the truth to come out."
Florida law makes it illegal to record someone's conversation without their permission.
But there have been exceptions to that law, especially if someone's caught talking about a crime. So it'll be up to the judge.
"In my opinion, these lawyers should never ever practice law again," said Fitzgibbons. "They should lose their law licenses. This is as despicable conduct that lawyers can engage in and they don’t deserve to be called lawyers."
The trial for the three Adams and Diaco attorneys is scheduled to begin on Monday.
Bay News 9 left a message, asking for comment from the attorney for the law firm, and has not received a response yet.