Ex-Prosecutor Pleads Guilty In Murder Plot Against Lawyer

TRAVERSE CITY (AP) -- A former Traverse City-area prosecutor has pleaded guilty to trying to have another lawyer killed.

Clarence Gomery appeared in court Friday in Grand Traverse County and admitted offering money to a man to kill Chris Cooke. He says his life was "falling apart" at the time.

Cooke was representing an ex-business partner who had sued Gomery over a bad golf course deal. Gomery served as a prosecutor in Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties. Defense attorney Frank Stanley tells the Traverse City Record-Eagle that he was prepared to go to trial but Gomery wanted to close the case.

Grand Traverse County prosecutor Bob Cooney says the case is "hard to imagine." He says prosecutors usually are the "good guys."

Gomery will get his sentence on March 5.

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