Opinion ID: 2266107
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Bias Claims

Text: Three of the four hearing days were devoted to respondent's mitigation defense, and during respondent's mitigation testimony, the lay member of the hearing committee questioned respondent, who is black, concerning his previous assertion that he had been subjected to racial prejudice while associated with an all-white law firm, which, according to respondent, contributed to his drinking problem. In addition, the same hearing committee member, in a concurring opinion, expressed his personal view that this court has been too lenient in permitting attorneys' alcoholism to serve as mitigation for otherwise disbarrable violations. Respondent contends that the lay member's questions during the hearing and the sentiments he expressed in the concurring opinion demonstrated personal bias. Respondent also alleges bias on the part of the committee chair because the chair questioned the relevance of the testimony of one of respondent's witnesses. After hearing that witness's testimony, which was both lengthy and marginally relevant, the chair cautioned respondent that the testimony of respondent's remaining witnesses would only be relevant to the mitigation defense if they testified concerning actions that tended to establish that respondent's drinking had an effect upon his behavior. Although not all of the listed witnesses actually testified, the chair did nothing to prevent respondent from calling any of those witnesses; nor did the chair limit the testimony of the witnesses who did testify.