“The allegation is completely unfounded, and we look forward to defending vigorously Stan’s good name and reputation,” the family said. “Stan is a pillar of the community, and he has tirelessly worked on behalf of young people for the past 25 years. As a former teacher, current member of several nonprofit organizations focused on improving the circumstances of underserved youth and their families, and a major university scholarship donor, Stan remains undaunted in his commitment to improving society by creating more educational, cultural and social opportunities for underserved segments of his community. We are confident that justice will prevail and Stan can resume his normal life.”

As reported last week, Stan is currently involved in a humiliating scandal that accuses him and his nephew of purposefully intoxicating an 18 year old boy with the intent of sexually assaulting the young man.  Major news outlets initially reported Stanley Stallworth, a 50-year-old real estate partner with Sidley Austin in Chicago, has been accused along with his nephew of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man while the alleged victim was passed out on Thanksgiving.

“The Am Law Daily has learned and reported that Stallworth has retained well-known Chicago criminal defense firm Henderson Adam, which was formed in 2011 by former Holland & Knight partner Victor Henderson and local trial lawyer Sam Adam Jr. News of the charges against Stallworth and his 22-year-old nephew Therrie Miller were first reported Friday by the Chicago Tribune, with the Chicago Sun-Times and DNAinfo Chicago subsequently publishing their own stories on the alleged crime.

According to prosecutors, Miller met the victim, who has not been identified, at a suburban Chicago barbershop on Nov. 27. The teenage victim exchanged text messages with Miller, who invited him to meet him the next day at his uncle’s house on the 3300 block of South Calumet Avenue, according to news reports and court filings. (As noted by Above the Law, property records show a single-family home on the block was purchased in Stallworth’s name for $170,000 in 2005.)

The alleged victim later told law enforcement authorities that he consumed about one- and-a-half drinks at Stallworth’s South Side residence and passed out twice. The young man told authorities that the first time he awoke, Miller was performing a sex act on him and that Stallworth then did the same. The alleged victim claims he was naked the second time he regained consciousness, and that Miller then drove him home.

After telling his mother about the alleged assault, the young man was taken to a local hospital, where, according to prosecutors, a rape kit was administered. Both Stallworth and Miller have each been charged with one count of criminal sexual assault in connection with the incident. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Israel Desierto set bond for the accused defendants at $150,000 apiece during a Friday hearing, according to news reports. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 26.

The family said it would have no further comment on the advice of Henderson, a veteran of several high-profile civil and criminal cases in Chicago courts. Henderson, whose firm biography states that he was the first African American to lead a Chicago office with more than 100 lawyers, founded his firm with Sam Adam Jr., the son of legendary Windy City trial lawyer Sam Adam Sr.

The father-and-son legal team represented disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich at his first corruption trial, which ended before a hung jury. The duo also helped Chicago native and R&B singer R. Kelly win an acquittal on child pornography charges in 2008.

As of Monday, Sidley was standing by Stallworth.

“The firm is aware of certain criminal charges filed concerning Stan Stallworth, a partner in the firm. We understand that Stan has entered a plea of not guilty and intends to vigorously contest those allegations,” Sidley said in a statement issued to The Am Law Daily. “While the charges do not relate to the firm or the practice of law, Stan has requested and has been granted leave from the firm to devote his full attention to addressing these charges. The firm will have no further comments.”

Stallworth joined the firm in 1990 and has no record of discipline or pending proceedings against him with the Illinois State Bar Association. A profile of Stallworth published in the November/December 2007 issue of a publication produced by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association states that he grew up in the southern Alabama city of Evergreen, where he owns more than 160 acres of real estate. He attended Alabama A&M as an undergraduate before getting his law degree from the University of Wisconsin, and is also an avid art collector, according to the MCCA story. Sibling publication The Recorder reported in 2007 that Stallworth headed Sidley’s diversity efforts.”

The Flyy-Life Take Away- As previously stated, we have no clue as to who is innocent or guilty. What I do know is that Stan has just taught a very profound lesson. This is the manner in which you handle scandal and allegation. The defenses strategy has so far been implemented with perfection. I do not know the details of what truly transpired (if only I could be a flyy on the wall!!) What I do know is that those of us in our community that are gainfully employed are VERY often targeted. Because of the people and mindset we are accustomed to, we meet peers within our community and whether sexual or platonic, enter into these relationships naively assuming extortion or deplorable means of financial gain are never a factor. Regardless of age, many of the men who are victims of poverty only view the connection as a method of “come up”. It doesn’t matter the age or demographic of the victim. Some of the most fit and beautiful men have still found themselves victims. In the eye of this young man, you are the ONLY viable source for him to perhaps feed himself the next week. They trick themselves into believing this deception adds to their masculinity and street creed. The perpetrator is often times willing to do the most humiliating  acts to fulfill your darkest pleasure and they will lie, cheat and deceive for the victim to willingly handover what they prize (money). If you are unwilling to exchange money for company, they will result to the most extreme measures to extort it. In their minds, they have NOTHING to lose. It’s you that has something to lose . Even if it’s merely embarrassment, physical harm or inconvenience. “I will throw a flower pot thru your living room window!!!!”

I’m not sure what actually transpired, but I applaud Stan for standing up and saying “I will NOT be another victim!!!” Stan is fighting and he’s showing us how grown men fight! We do not fight with our fist; we fight with strategy and implementation. It’s a well-known fact that Stan is financially comfortable. The man dropped 15K to walk when others are still locked on bail of $500. It’s sad to consider that you can only entertain within your socio-economic demographic, but perhaps that’s the direction our community is headed.  I know not the innocence or guilt of either party but I do know there’s much to the story that sounds “strange”. I only WISH I was able to get totally intoxicated to the point of losing consciousness  off one and a half drinks….lol……Deo

~All source material is courtesy of American Lawyer.  www.americanlawyer.com , legal team HendersonAdam. www.hendersonadam.com , Sidley Austin. www.sidley.com  and confidential sources within the camp.~