Judge Fines Attorney in Salvation Army Building Collapse Case For Comments

By Tony Hanson

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An attorney representing one of the defendants in the fatal center city building collapse case has been found in contempt by a judge for violating a gag order in the case.

Attorney William Hobson, who represents demolition contractor Griffin Campbell, today was fined $100 and cautioned about his future conduct.

Hobson commented to reporters after developments in a civil case arising from the fatal demolition collapse in June of last year.

Today, Hobson told the judge he believed he was permitted to comment on the civil case without violating the gag order in the criminal case.

But Judge Benjamin Lerner says Hobson was wrong, and cited him for contempt.

Campbell, who was in court for the contempt hearing, and heavy equipment operator Sean Benschop are in custody, charged with six counts of murder and other offenses.
But the defense has said previously that Campbell and Benschop are scapegoats, that others are responsible for decisions and actions that led to the collapse.  The comments that got attorney Hobson in trouble generally went to that contention.