Potential bombshell revealed in case against businessman accused of fraud in land deal

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The story was written on the curvature of the lawyer's lips. And the defense team for Bob Carmack was all smiles.

"You should know every piece of paper in your file before you charge somebody. You don't wait until they're charged and go 'oops,'" said Lillian Diallo, defense attorney. 

Along with Steven Haney, Diallo felt very optimistic after Monday's testimony in a land fraud case that has gone on almost four months.

Carmack, a local businessman has been accused by the city of Detroit of swindling them out of a large swath of money after he profited on land he bought from the city. The pre-trial hearings have included a variety of testimonies from several parties. 

Then, on May 20, the defense presented a recently-discovered email that left them more or less emphatic.

"Nyeche says to Bruce Goldman, 'yes Bruce, the land sale was closed with a title company.' So I don't know your honor. Seems like there's some explaining to do, as they say," said Haney.

The email's contents are in relation to the land that Carmack sold. While city officials have stated the land sale had not been completed, the evidence in the trial appears to point to a different conclusion.

As for the conclusion that Judge Cylenthia LaToye Miller will come to, she told the courtroom she plans to keep an open mind.

"This may be something. It may be nothing. It may be massive, it may be a molehill," she said. "I don't know."

Attorneys and their clients will know by tomorrow whether the case has enough evidence that it will continue to trial.