Former Gabe LeLand consultant no-show in court, says she will fight charges

(WJBK) - A key player in the case against  Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland was due in court today but she failed to show up.

The woman who the feds say picked up a bribe for Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland was supposed to be in court. Her lawyer was there. The prosector was there. There was just one thing missing.

Defense attorney Nancy McGunn not only had no comment, she had no client. McGunn represents Elisa Grubbs, the former consultant to Leland 2017 re-election campaign charged with conspiracy to commit bribery for picking up an alleged $7,500 payoff to the councilman.

Prosecutors expected Grubbs to plead guilty to the charge, but Grubbs has been incommunicado. McGunn told a judge she has only communicated with Grubbs by e-mail, and that they no longer can work together.

McGunn came to court to ask the judge to let her off the case, but Grubbs never showed, so the judge put the matter on hold.

FOX 2's M.L. Elrick spoke toGrubbs by phone hours after court adjourned. She says she's sick, and she has a nasty cough to prove it.

Nevertheless, she says she had to take the bus to Ann Arbor and delays caused her to arrive long after the case was adjourned. She says she plans to contact her lawyer and she says she plans to fight the charges against her.

Unless Grubbs turns herself in, the feds' next step may be to take this case before the grand jury. And that means one thing: A possible indictment.