Opinion ID: 2341817
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: MRPC 3.1, 3.8(a), and 8.4(d)

Text: Bar Counsel excepted to the hearing judge's conclusion that Gansler did not violate MRPC 3.1, 3.8, and 8.4(d). The charges under these rules arose from two events: (1) Gansler's unsuccessful prosecution in District Court of two juveniles based on charges that they called bomb threats to a Montgomery County High School, and (2) Gansler's statements regarding his intention to prosecute [j]uveniles who phone in bomb threats even if the case is not strong enough to warrant a conviction. Bar Counsel argues that by prosecuting the two juveniles with minimal evidence, Gansler brought a frivolous claim in violation of MRPC 3.1 and prosecuted a charge not supported by probable cause in violation of MRPC 3.8(a). Furthermore, in Bar Counsel's view, Gansler's violated MRPC 8.4(d) because the statements about future bomb-threat prosecutions communicated to the public that someone acquitted of a crime was guilty nonetheless and warranted to be prosecuted.... Gansler responds that he prosecuted the juveniles because he believed that they had committed a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. He contends that the judge's decision to acquit the juveniles represented only that she disagreed with his evaluation of the evidence, not that the prosecution lacked probable cause. MRPC 3.1 prohibits attorneys from bringing frivolous suits, and MRPC 3.8(a) prohibits prosecutors from knowingly prosecuting a charge that is not supported by probable cause. Expressly addressing only the comments Gansler made, the hearing judge concluded that Bar Counsel had not presented clear and convincing evidence that Gansler intended to prosecute in violation of [MRPC] 3.1 and [MRPC] 3.8(a). Although she did not specifically address the issue in her Report and Recommendations, the hearing judge, by finding no violation under MRPC 3.1 and MRPC 3.8(a), determined implicitly that insufficient evidence supported Bar Counsel's charge concerning the actual prosecution of the juveniles. Likewise, the hearing judge also implicitly concluded that the evidence did not support a violation of MRPC 8.4(d). We agree with Judge Stevenson that, based on the evidence presented, Gansler did not commit a violation of MRPC 3.1, MRPC 3.8(a), or MRPC 8.4(d), when he commented on future prosecutions of juveniles who phone bomb threats. Gansler testified and responded to Request for Admissions that he never intended to prosecute any charges in bad faith. Rather, according to Gansler's testimony, by making the comments about prosecuting bomb threats, he intended to communicate that his office must try hard cases. The hearing judge found this testimony credible, a determination that we readily accept. Gansler's actual prosecution of the youths also did not amount to a violation of MRPC 3.1, as Bar Counsel contends. Evidence before the hearing judge related to this charge came solely from a newspaper article covering the juveniles' case. The article reported that the District Court judge acquitted the juveniles, stating, I have no idea who did this and I have no evidence. As further reported by the article, the State's evidence of telephone calls could not link the juveniles to the bomb threat. Without more, the news article does not demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that Gansler violated MRPC 3.1. Consequently, we overrule Bar Counsel's exceptions to Judge Stevenson's ruling that Gansler's prosecution of the juveniles as well as his reported comments about future prosecutions do not violate MRPC 3.1, MRPC 3.8, or MRPC 8.4(d).