All articles tagged with #legal misconduct
A federal judge criticized the Justice Department for its handling of criminal cases in D.C., citing multiple misfires and a rush to prosecute, which has caused embarrassment for the government, especially highlighted by the case of Edward Dana, whose charges were dropped after a week in jail.
Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia are seeking sanctions against Trump officials for alleged violations of court orders related to his wrongful deportation and return to the U.S., accusing the administration of contempt and dishonesty, and requesting a special master to investigate these misconducts.
Tom Girardi, a once-powerful California attorney known for his wealth and influence, was sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing from clients, with allegations of extensive fraud reaching up to $100 million. The case highlights his exploitation of clients' trust for personal gain, damaging his reputation and the legal profession, while his health issues and age were discussed in court. Girardi plans to appeal his conviction.
Lawyers for "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed are seeking her release from prison following the dismissal of Alec Baldwin's case due to discovery violations by the state. The motion cites severe misconduct by the special prosecutor, who allegedly suppressed evidence related to live ammunition. Reed was previously convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Jenna Ellis, a former legal adviser to Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, has had her Colorado law license suspended for three years due to her involvement in spreading false claims about the election. This suspension follows her guilty plea to aiding and abetting false statements in Georgia, where she was sentenced to five years probation. Ellis expressed deep remorse for her actions and acknowledged the damage done to public trust in the electoral system.
A judge recommended that John Eastman, a co-defendant of Donald Trump in the Georgia election interference case, be disbarred in California due to his misconduct in promoting a strategy not backed by facts or law related to the 2020 election. The judge found Eastman culpable for 10 of the 11 disciplinary charges, including misleading a court and making false statements. Eastman's attorney defended his client's actions, but the judge ordered him to be transferred to "involuntary inactive status" while the Supreme Court reviews his case. Eastman also faces legal challenges related to orchestrating a fake electors scheme in Georgia.
Pennsylvania judge Sonya McKnight has been charged with first-degree attempted murder and aggravated assault for allegedly shooting her ex-boyfriend in the head and then trying to convince him that he shot himself. The victim, Michael McCoy, suffered a single gunshot wound that left him blind in his right eye. McKnight, who has a history of legal misconduct, was suspended without pay in mid-November after allegedly violating judicial probation from a previous case. She was also previously charged with shooting her estranged husband in 2019, but was not charged after it was ruled to be self-defense.
A New York judge overturned the murder conviction of Ganesh Ramsaran, citing his defense lawyer's "egregious" conduct, including reliance on Google for forensics help. Ramsaran, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in his wife's death, claimed innocence but said pleading guilty was "the smartest thing to do legally." His lawyer, Gilberto Garcia, admitted to inexperience and using Google during the trial. The plea agreement came amid challenges for the prosecution, and Ramsaran's refusal to provide details led to a guilty plea.
A fourth co-defendant in the Georgia case against former president Donald Trump has filed a motion to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis, alleging a pattern of prosecutorial and forensic misconduct. The motion claims that Willis' personal relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, her public statements, and financial benefits from Wade's taxpayer-funded salary constitute conflicts of interest and ethical violations. The court is set to hold an evidentiary hearing to consider the motion.
Michael Cohen, former lawyer for Donald Trump, admitted to mistakenly providing his attorney with fake legal citations generated by an AI service, Google Bard, in an attempt to end his supervised release early. These false citations were submitted to court without verification by his lawyer, David Schwartz, who now faces potential sanctions. This incident raises concerns about Cohen's credibility as a witness in ongoing cases against Trump, including the Manhattan DA's criminal business fraud case and the NY Attorney General's civil fraud case. Cohen served time for tax evasion and campaign finance violations related to "hush money" payments and was released to home confinement due to COVID-19 before being put on supervised release.