Fresno attorney Anthony “Tony” Capozzi plans to file a defamation lawsuit against the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office for issuing a news release that said he was under investigation, but never explained why he was in trouble.
Fresno attorney Kevin Little, who represents Capozzi, contends the Oct. 12 news release damaged Capozzi’s reputation as a criminal defense lawyer and prominent figure in California’s legal community. The news release, Little said, also caused emotional distress for Capozzi and his wife, Paula, and caused Capozzi to lose clients and other economic opportunities.
In February, four months after the news release was made public, the Sheriff’s Office revealed for the first time that Capozzi was under investigation for allegedly taking contraband to a client in the Fresno County Jail. But the Sheriff’s Office also said it would not recommend the filing of smuggling charges against Capozzi.