Opinion ID: 2293985
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: factual findings of the board

Text: (1) Respondent is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, having been admitted in 1996. (Petition, Amended Answer ¶ 1.) (2) Respondent was engaged in the private practice of law from the time of his admission until May, 2003, at which time he stopped practicing due to a medical disability. (T: 42.) (3) On July 31, 2002, Respondent was struck by a motor vehicle while crossing a street in the City of Wilmington, Delaware. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury with numerous physical after effects. His physical symptoms resolved within six to twelve months. However, the brain injury and his mental and cognitive effects remained symptomatic after his physical injuries had healed. (T: 40-41.) (4) Subsequent to Respondent's discontinuation of private practice in May, 2003, Respondent continued receiving treatment for his cognitive disorder. The extent of his treatment is not evident from the record. Respondent testified he had seen numerous physicians all of whom told him his cognitive deficiencies would be permanent, They treated him with various medications which were of little benefit to him. Respondent testified he became depressed. (T: 47-48.) (5) Between May, 2003 and January, 2005, Respondent's family relocated to the State of Maine. (T. 49.) Respondent followed shortly thereafter. Respondent and his wife were attempting to reconcile differences that had arisen between them. On January 4, 2006, Respondent was living in the marital home. (T: 123.) (6) On January 4, 2006, Respondent and his wife were arguing in the presence of three of their minor children. The argument escalated and Respondent became aware that his wife had a tape recorder and tape and was recording the argument. Respondent put a knife to his wife's throat and demanded she give him the tape. Respondent's wife was able to escape but Respondent caught her and punched her in the stomach numerous times and took the tape from her. Respondent went to another room in the house while at the same time Respondent's wife called the police, who upon arriving at the house found the tape recorder smashed and the odor of something that had burned. The police could not locate the tape. Respondent was removed from the house by the police. (ODC-2; T: 54-56.) (7) As a result of this altercation, Respondent was indicted on five counts by a Grand Jury sitting in the State of Maine. (ODC-2.) The five counts were: (i) Criminal Threatening With A Deadly Weapon (a Class C felony); (ii) Assault With A Deadly Weapon (a Class C felony); (iii) Falsifying Physical Evidence (a Class D misdemeanor); (iv) Terrorizing (a Class D misdemeanor); and (v) Assault (a Class D misdemeanor). Respondent pled nolo contendere to counts (iii), (iv) and (v). Counts (i) and (ii) were dismissed. (ODC-3.) The plea was entered on March 15, 2007. (ODC-6.) (8) Immediately after the incident on January 4, 2006, Respondent's wife obtained a Protection From Abuse Order from the Maine Courts. (T: 56.) Respondent was to have no contact with his wife nor his children. (T: 57.) (9) On January 19, 2006, Respondent called his wife on the telephone. Respondent was aware that this telephone call was in violation of the terms of the Protection From Abuse Order. (Petition, Amended Answer ¶ 21.) (10) On March 9, 2006, the Grand Jury in the State of Maine indicted Respondent on two counts. (ODC-4.) Count I was a Violation Of Condition Of Release On Bail which required that he have no contact with his spouse. This was a Class C felony. Count II was a Violation Of The Protection From Abuse Order. This was a Class D misdemeanor. Respondent pled guilty by way of an Alford plea to Counts I and plead guilty to Count II on March 15, 2007. (ODC-6.) (11) On February 3, 2006, Respondent consumed all of the medications he had available to him in an apparent suicide attempt. (T: 58.) Respondent testified he was asleep for two days, after which he did not seek immediate medical treatment. (T: 114-115.) (12) On February 8, 2006, Respondent had an arbitration hearing in Wilmington, Delaware in regard to his insurance claim arising from his July, 2002 motor vehicle accident. (T: 59.) Respondent testified he drove himself to the airport in Maine and flew to Philadelphia to attend the arbitration. He was able to testify and participate in the arbitration proceeding. As a result of the arbitration, Respondent received a substantial arbitration award. (T: 116.) (13) On February 9, 2006, Respondent met with his psychiatrist, Dr. Burton Weiss, in Philadelphia. (T: 59.) The notes prepared by Dr. Weiss of his evaluation of Respondent indicate that the Respondent was seeing him for depression, suicide attempt, suicidal ideas. (ODC-9,) In his Interval History, Dr. Weiss related that Respondent returned for urgent appointment from Maine. Respondent related that he had stopped taking medications a month ago and had become progressively more depressed. He further related that on February 4, 2006, he had taken all of the medications he was then saving in an attempt to kill himself. The Interval History makes no mention of the fact that Respondent had returned to Wilmington for an arbitration hearing the day prior to seeing Dr. Weiss nor is there a mention of his arrest and indictments. The Mental Status Examination of Dr. Weiss found that Respondent was alert and cooperative. Dr. Weiss did conclude that (Respondent) has cognitive, memory and behavior control deficits which are the arising (sic) from his accident of 7/31/02. Dr. Weiss suggested immediate hospitalization of Respondent to Friend's Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. (14) Respondent was admitted to Friend's Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 9, 2006. (ODC-10.) It was noted on discharge he still continued to struggle with complications of his mental problems from his traumatic brain injury. By discharge, he was free from suicidal ideations and highly motivated for out patient treatment. After discharge from Friend's Hospital, Respondent returned to the State of Maine. (T: 61.) (15) On February 28, 2006, Respondent went to the marital home and waited outside for his wife, who was not home at the time, to return. (ODC-7.) When his wife returned home, she had with her two of their minor children. Respondent approached the car and according to his wife, began pounding on the car and was holding a long, sharp object which she believed was either a knife or a screwdriver. Respondent's wife stated that Respondent attempted to stab the tires of the car. She was able to leave in her vehicle and immediately drove to the police station. (Petition ¶ 36.) Respondent does not dispute the fact that he went to the marital home. (T: 66.) He does dispute the characterization of the confrontation with his spouse. (T: 66.) (16) On March 1, 2006, Respondent admitted himself to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. (ODC-11.) He related his history of injury and disability to the admitting physician. He also related the accusations of his wife regarding the confrontation of January 4, 2006 though he denied the characterization. Respondent also related that after discharge from Friend's Hospital he had gone back to Maine to talk to his wife which clearly was a violation of the restraining order. The Portsmouth Hospital Discharge Summary states, The psychiatrist who had worked with him for a number of years as an out patient in the area the patient had been living in in Pennsylvania expressed quite a bit of concerns about the patient's potential for dangerousness to suffer others. He also gave us a sense that the patient had had some significant problems, perhaps personality-wise, prior to his brain injury. During his hospitalization, the physicians developed further information regarding Respondent through conversations with Respondent's criminal attorney. The physicians at Portsmouth Regional Hospital determined they had a duty to warn his spouse upon discharge. Dr. Beaudett of Portsmouth Regional Hospital reported, I did not see any evidence of acute dangerousness to self or others, and therefore did not see any reason to involuntarily hospitalize the patient. He was permitted to be discharged at his request. There was no evidence of psychosis. He was alert, and fully oriented and his mood had been improved for several days prior to discharge. Because the hospital was unable to contact Respondent's wife at the time of his discharge, they contacted the police in the area where she resided. The police made arrangements for Respondent to be arrested by the Portsmouth Police when he was discharged. The discharge diagnosis was major depression, recurrent, severe, possible organic effective disorder related to head injury, possible impulse control difficulty secondary to head injury, (17) Upon discharge from Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Respondent was arrested and incarcerated. He remained incarcerated until December, 2007. (T: 63.) (18) On March 9, 2006, a Grand Jury of the State of Maine indicted Respondent on three counts. (ODC-7.) Count I was a Violation Of Condition of Release, a Class C felony. Count II was a Violation Of Protection From Abuse Order, a Class D misdemeanor. Count III was Criminal Threatening, a Class D misdemeanor. On March 15, 2007, Respondent pled guilty by an Alford plea to Count I. He pled guilty to Counts II and Ill. (ODC-6.) (19) In his criminal prosecution, Respondent did not raise as a defense his cognitive disorders or mental health condition. Respondent testified that he was intended to do so, however, due to a technical procedural mistake by his defense counsel, he was not permitted to raise the defenses. (T: 66-67.) (20) While incarcerated, Respondent ceased taking ail medications. (T: 72.) On September 9, 2006, Respondent wrote to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company regarding his disability claim. (ODC-12.) Respondent noted that his last treatment had occurred in November, 2005. Respondent wrote, My current lack of treatment and medication with respect to my former disability are not a function of the incarceration. Rather, they reflect a change in my status I believe I am fully capable of returning to full time employment as an attorney and I intend to do so immediately upon my release. I do not any longer suffer from any medical or psychological impairment that would prevent me from returning to the successful practice of law. Respondent did not have any psychological treatment for his mental condition while incarcerated. (T: 134-135.) (21) By Order dated June 15, 2007, the Honorable John O'Neii, a Judge of the Maine District Court, entered a Divorce Judgment granting a divorce between Respondent and his wife. (ODC-13.) In the Divorce Judgment (¶ 2.c) it is stated: The Court specifically finds that the conduct of the Defendant (Respondent) toward Plaintiff (his spouse) and the children has been one that has a long history of violence and abusive behavior dating back to periods of time long before his accident and the use of Topomax. (22) Respondent explained the effect of the Alford pleas to the two felony counts in the State of Maine. (T: 64.) He testified that these were termed felonies since they occurred in the context of a domestic relations case. According to Respondent, one of the felony charges is to be dismissed in December, 2008 and the other felony charge reduced to a misdemeanor presuming he has no further incidents or violations of his Oprobation. There is no independent verification of record from the State of Maine concerning the effect of the Aiford pleas. (23) While still incarcerated, Respondent began working for a law firm as a paralegal under a work release program in the State of Maine. (T: 123.) He is employed as a paralegal. Respondent believes that his legal judgment and ability to practice law has returned. (T: 126.) He is able to read and comprehend complex legal documents, statutes and other writings. (T: 128) He has not had any psychological treatment but has been assessed by a psychologist. He is no longer receiving continuing medical or psychological care. (T: 141.) He has not stayed current with the law. (T: 129.) (24) David A. Harris, Esq., an attorney admitted in the State of Delaware, testified on behalf of Respondent. (T: 15.) Mr. Harris had been employed with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, LLP for 12 years. He testified that he and Respondent began practicing with that firm at the same time and became friends. Respondent left Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, LLP in approximately 1999 and though Mr. Harris and Respondent remained friends, they did lose touch. Mr. Harris testified that he had reviewed the ODC Petition and that did not describe the Respondent as he knew him. He further testified that it had been eight years since he last had contact with Respondent. (25) Respondent offered the testimony of Francis Jackson, a member of the Bar of the State of Maine. (T: 20.) Respondent is employed by Mr. Jackson as a paralegal. Mr. Jackson testified that Respondent reviews the facts of various files in his office and prepares memorandums of law. Mr. Jackson has not noted any cognitive deficiencies in Respondent's ability to perform his work nor has he noted any deficiencies in his work habits that would affect his capability nor any instances of lack of control or abusiveness. Mr. Jackson testified that he would hire Respondent as an attorney if the decision on ODC Petition is favorable to the Respondent. (26) Respondent offered the testimony of Francis Giuliano, a member of the Bar of the State of New Jersey. (T: 86.) Mr. Giuliano testified he has known Respondent through his daughter while both were attending law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Giuliano had employed Respondent to prepare legal memorandum for him while a student and had considered offering Respondent a position with his firm. Mr. Giuliano had an opportunity to observe the Respondent both before and after his motor vehicle accident and felt he was still able to converse and respond rationally to conversations but seemed flat emotionally. (27) Respondent offered the testimony of Carol Tavani, M.D. (T: 146.) Dr. Tavani is a Board-certified neuropsychiatrist and is the psychiatrist who serves on behalf of the Professional Guidance Committee of the Delaware State Bar Association. Dr. Tavani testified she had reviewed numerous medical records regarding Respondent as well as papers concerning his divorce, his lawsuit against his insurance carrier and the ODC Petition. She opined that Respondent had a brain injury which compounded a concussion he suffered while in college. (T: 152-153.) This resulted in a mood disorder with depressive features and a cognitive disorder. (T: 153.) Dr. Tavani's testimony was more in the nature of Respondent's current fitness to return to the practice of law rather than an analysis of his mental condition at the time of the crimes which he committed in the State of Maine. Dr. Tavani testified that on the surface Respondent looked and acted normal, however, it is her opinion that further testing would have to occur before she would be prepared to opine that he is capable of undertaking all the responsibility of an attorney. She found that Respondent is resistant to medical treatment and appears to be in denial of the nature and extent of his injury. (T: 167-170.) As of the date of the hearing, Dr. Tavani would not recommend Respondent be permitted to practice law. (T: 169.)