New mystery charge filed against McGee

I am actually starting to feel sorry for McGee's attorney. The charges against McGee are piling up so fast, he must feel like he is trapped in the middle of a firestorm right now.

Prosecutors filed a new criminal charge today against Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee, Jr., today, but kept it secret pending a likely legal fight over whether tapes of taped conversations can be used in court.Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said he was barred from discussing the new charge under state law dealing with wiretaps. Chisholm agreed to turn over to McGee's attorney the recordings of the wire-tapped conversations, which were made by the FBI late last month. Chisholm also will provide copies of the recordings to the attorney for McGee's two co-defendants.McGee was previously charged with conspiring with two other men to assault a family friend they suspected of burglarizing the home of Little Al Stewart, described as McGee's godfather. Stewart, 52, and Dimitrius L. Jackson, 38, were also charged in the case.Details of those charges will remain under seal, along with the new charge, Circuit Court Judge Dennis Moroney ruled today in court.Defense lawyers for McGee, Stewart and Jackson will have 10 days to review the tapes and decide whether to seek to have them suppressed. Chisholm has previously said he'll push to have the tapes admitted into evidence in the case.Moroney said he would rule on a defense motion to suppress the tapes within about three days of receiving it, but warned that a hearing on suppression would be closed to the press and public. The unusual step is allowed under a state Supreme Court decision regarding use of wire-tapped conversations in criminal cases.The judge set the next hearing in the case for June 22, when the tape issue as well as other pretrial matters can be heard.McGee, as well as his two co-defendants, did not speak during today's hearing. About three dozen supporters of McGee stood and many returned a clenched fist salute to McGee when he entered the courtroom.McGee is being held in Milwaukee County Jail on $100,000 bail. Jackson also remains in the jail, but Stewart is free on $20,000 bail. Stewart declined to talk to reporters after the hearing.