Former Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood was placed on probation for professional misconduct during a recent hearing with the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee.
LaHood was given a probated suspension for one year and ordered to pay nearly $10,000 in attorney’s fees and expenses.
According to a motion filed in April 2017, LaHood threatened to end Joe Gonzales’s practice after being asked to agree to a mistrial in the case against Miguel Martinez, who was on trial for the 2015 murder of Laura Carter.
The case ended in a mistrial last year stemming from allegations a “second chair prosecutor had once had a sexual encounter with the star witness” in Martinez’s case.
Gonzales would go on to challenge and defeat LaHood for the office of Bexar County District Attorney in last year’s Democratic primary before winning the November election.
Senior District Judge W.C. Kirkendall of Seguin found that “Mr. LaHood engaged in an unprofessional and uncalled-for ‘rant,’” which “may be subject to sanctions in another tribunal.”
The committee found that LaHood “in the course of representing a client, made an extrajudicial statement that a reasonable person would have know that it will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicatory proceeding.”
“I don’t have any direct comment other than to say that I am satisfied with the outcome.,” Gonzales said. “This reaffirms my belief that the system works, especially regarding the State Bar’s ability to police its members — especially lawyers that are public officials. It is now time to move on. I will be focusing on my continued efforts at keeping this community safe.”
LaHood will be able to continue to practice law as long as he abides by the terms of his probation.
Written by SBG San Antonio
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