Although “not initially forthcoming” during interviews on July 24 and 25, she later cooperated fully, the filing says. She admitted that there is probable cause to believe professional misconduct happened and that she failed to tell investigators that Carroll claimed to have roughed up a suspect. But she said she wasn’t obligated to report illegal conduct.

Schuessler’s response says that the alleged slur was not against a client, and therefore didn’t violate the rule at issue. Schuessler “admits that she was untruthful about certain facts at different times but denies she was untruthful about any fact she believed was material to the investigation,” the filing says. She admitted initially blaming Carroll for the alleged joke, “but asserts that this attribution was due solely to her embarrassment and a good faith belief that the statement was not important to the investigation.”

The statement mattered because it came in response to Carroll’s story on the phone call and bolstered prosecutors’ claims that a gun had been used in the attack, which meant more potential prison time for Carroll.

A lawyer for her declined to comment.