Opinion ID: 1408147
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Triem's vindictive prosecution claim

Text: Triem contends that Bar Counsel is guilty of vindictive prosecution in McCarty because, after Triem rejected discipline by private admonition and after Bar Counsel had provided Triem a copy of a draft petition for a formal hearing, an additional charge was added to the petition. [19] Triem argues that this additional charge was in response to Triem's exercise of his constitutional rights. Bar Counsel responds that no evidence of vindictiveness exists and that he sent the copy of the clearly marked draft petition to Triem as a matter of professional courtesy in response to Triem's request. Furthermore, Bar Counsel notes that even if the petition sent to Triem had not been a draft, Bar Counsel could have subsequently amended the petition under Bar Rule 22(e) (leave to amend petitions should freely be given as justice requires). [A] prosecutorial action is `vindictive' only if designed to penalize a defendant for invoking legally protected rights. United States v. Meyer 810 F.2d 1242, 1245 (D.C. Cir.1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 940, 108 S.Ct. 1121, 99 L.Ed.2d 281 (1988). In United States v. Goodwin, 457 U.S. 368, 381, 102 S.Ct. 2485, 2492-93, 73 L.Ed.2d 74 (1982), the United States Supreme Court recognized that prosecutors may gain new information or realize the significance of information after the initial imposition of charges. The Court held that in such situations the addition or modification of charges before trial does not necessarily support a presumption of vindictive prosecution. Id. In reaching this holding, the Court stated that [a] prosecutor should remain free before trial to exercise the broad discretion entrusted to him to determine the extent of the societal interest in prosecution. An initial decision should not freeze future conduct. Id. (footnote omitted). Applying Goodwin, the Meyer court noted that several courts have adopted the view that a presumption of vindictiveness in the pretrial setting will arise if the defendant presents facts, in addition to the modification of the charges, sufficient to show a realistic likelihood of vindictiveness. Meyer, 810 F.2d at 1246. Triem argues that the exercise of his legal right to reject the private admonition and to pursue a formal hearing provoked Bar Counsel to add a new charge against him. However, the additional charge against Triem was added before Bar Counsel had finalized his analysis of the case and notified Triem of the formal charges against him. Under Goodwin, modification of formal charges without more would not give rise to a presumption of vindictive prosecution in the pretrial setting. 457 U.S. at 381, 102 S.Ct. at 2492-93. Therefore, even if new charges had been added after the formal petition was filed, Triem's argument would be unpersuasive because there are no additional facts sufficient to show a realistic likelihood of vindictiveness. That Triem's argument is based on differences between a draft petition and the formal petition fortifies this conclusion.