Opinion ID: 1462263
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Respondent's Failure to Investigate His Client's Case.

Text: Respondent objects to the finding of neglect, asserting that his judgment as to the lack of genuineness and relevancy of Wilson's alleged witnesses was correct and justified by later events. But the failure to seek out and interview these witnesses was not the only basis for the committee's finding that respondent was guilty of neglect. Assuming, as respondent claimed, that his telephone conversation with the Assistant United States Attorney on November 13, 1981, constituted adequate discovery, it came much too late. Respondent was retained on June 11. He learned the basic facts of the government's case from the preliminary hearing on June 19, 1980. Yet between that time and November 13, respondent did nothing to investigate the facts of the case and did nothing to advance his client's cause except to write the letter to Judge Ugast. As the Committee pointed out, respondent undertook no investigation or discovery within the period provided for filing a motion to suppress. Since the crime took place at 3:45 a.m. in the morning in an alley, there was a distinct possibility (as respondent himself apparently recognized by his plan to knock down the government's case) that there could have been a misidentification. Nevertheless, respondent did not attempt to interview the police officers or the complaining witness; he did not examine the torn shirt to see whether the tear was compatible with the version offered by the witness or by his client; he did not investigate or send someone to investigate the scene of the crime to determine whether lighting at the time of the offense made identification possible. Respondent made a determination, on his own, that no investigation was necessary because his client was guilty. The Committee thus properly found that respondent had neglected his client's case in violation of DR 6-101(A)(3).