DETROIT -- Five lawyers have been accused of misconduct for their roles in the settlement of lawsuits that ultimately led to the conviction of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, including the attorney who got the $8.4 million deal from the city.

Mike Stefani, who represented police officers in the settlement, "engaged in conduct that is contrary to justice, ethics, honesty or good morals," the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission said in a nine-page complaint.

He had obtained a trove of text messages, "irrefutable" evidence that Kilpatrick, a lawyer, committed perjury at a civil trial, but didn't notify the commission in a timely manner, investigators said.

Kilpatrick was sued by three police officers who claimed they were punished because they were investigating wrongdoing by his inner circle.

Stefani obtained messages revealing an affair between Kilpatrick and his chief of staff, Christine Beatty, a relationship that was denied at trial.

The Detroit City Council didn't know about the messages when it approved the multimillion-dollar settlement with the officers in October 2007.

Three months later, the Detroit Free Press published some, igniting a scandal that forced Kilpatrick from office and sent him and Beatty to jail for obstruction of justice.

Kilpatrick's private attorney, Sam McCargo, is charged with counts relating to hiding evidence and making false statements.

The other lawyers charged with ethics violations are Wilson Copeland II, Valerie Colbert-Osamuede and John Johnson Jr.

Johnson and Colbert-Osamuede are city lawyers. Johnson left when Kilpatrick resigned and Colbert-Osamuede has not been suspended during the investigation.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five.

Staffers at the grievance commission act as investigators and prosecutors of alleged misconduct by lawyers.

Each case will be assigned to separate three-member panels at the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board. Possible punishments include reprimand, suspension or disbarment.

"I do not think that is a likely outcome," grievance administrator Robert Agacinski said of disbarment. "These are serious cases, but we're talking about prominent attorneys with a history of representing their clients adequately."

All of the lawyers could lose their licenses. Each has a right to respond and appear at formal court hearings, which are set to start July 8.

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