Country music star Tyler Childers ‘stoked’ to get mannequin of disbarred KY lawyer
Eastern Kentucky’s most famous disbarred lawyer is going to be in prison a long time, but it looks like a rising country music star from the region will get a likeness of him to take home.
The lawyer is Eric C. Conn, who used large mannequins atop billboards to advertise his burgeoning Social Security disability practice when the singer-songwriter, Tyler Childers, was attending high school in Paintsville.
Conn is serving a 27-year prison sentence after admitting he faked evidence in clients’ disability claims and bribed a Social Security judge for favorable decisions.
Prestonsburg attorney Ned Pillersdorf, who has represented former clients of Conn, said Childers had followed the saga of Conn’s downfall and was interested in getting one of the mannequins. Ian Thornton, with Childers’ booking agency, contacted Pillersdorf with the request.
When Pillersdorf wangled a visit from Childers to the Floyd County Animal Shelter that helped boost dog adoptions, the Grammy-nominated singer mentioned perhaps using the life-sized dummy in a music video.
Pillersdorf learned through a federal prosecutor that Lexington attorney Cary B. Howard Jr. had two of the mannequins.
A judge appointed Howard and D. Barry Stilz to inventory thousands of files left at Conn’s office after he was locked up and distribute them to clients who wanted them. The mannequins also were at the office, a warren of interconnected mobile homes.
Federal authorities planned to throw away the mannequins, but Howard “thought that was a shame” because they were unique, so the government said he could have them, he told Pillersdorf.
Howard said he didn’t want any money for the mannequins and would be glad to give one to Childers, with the only requirement that he make a donation to Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky.
The non-profit provides free legal help to low-income and vulnerable people, and has helped many of Conn’s former clients in their efforts to keep disability benefits.
Ian Thornton, with Childers’ booking agency, said in an email to Pillersdorf and others this week that they would be happy to make a donation.
“This is great news. Thanks for working to get it all lined out for us! Tyler is stoked,” Thornton said.
Childers is scheduled to be in concert on Feb. 28 at Rupp Arena in Lexington with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson, also a native of Eastern Kentucky.
The tentative plan is to get Childers the mannequin when he’s in town for the concert.
“He’s getting it,” Pillersdorf said.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 11:27 AM.
