In re Myers

895 P.2d 1252, 257 Kan. 959, 1995 Kan. LEXIS 69
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedJune 2, 1995
DocketNo. 73,451
StatusPublished

This text of 895 P.2d 1252 (In re Myers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Myers, 895 P.2d 1252, 257 Kan. 959, 1995 Kan. LEXIS 69 (kan 1995).

Opinion

Per Curiam:

This is an original proceeding in discipline filed by the office of the Disciplinary Administrator against Kym E. Myers, an attorney admitted to the practice of law in Kansas. The complaint filed in case No. B-5040 was heard before a panel of the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys. The essential facts, as determined by the panel, and the panel’s recommended discipline are not in dispute. Myers takes no exception to the report, findings, and recommendations of the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys.

The formal complaint charges:

“2. On July 11, 1991, the respondent, Kym E. Myers, was convicted in' the District Court of Lyon County, Kansas, by a jury of Rape and Sexual Battery. Rape is defined in K.S.A. 21-3502 and is a Class B felony. Sexual Battery is defined in K.S.A. 21-3517 and is a Class A misdemeanor.
“3. On August 20,1991, the respondent was sentenced. For the crime of Sexual Battery, the respondent was sentenced to the Lyon County Jail for a term of six (6) months pursuant to K.S.A. 21-4502. For the crime of Rape, the respondent was sentenced to the custody of the Secretary of Corrections for a minimum term of not less than five (5) years and a maximum term of not more than twenty (20) years, pursuant to K.S.A. 21-4501(b). On that same date, the respondent’s Motion for Probation was denied and the respondent was placed in custody.
“4. On November 15,1991, the Kansas Supreme Court temporarily suspended the respondent from tire practice of law pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 203(b). In the order suspending the respondent, the Supreme Court noted that the crimes of Rape and Sexual Battery were of such a serious nature that the court concluded that the respondent must be suspended from the practice of law until there was final determination of the disciplinary proceedings pending against the respondent.
[960]*960“5. On February 14, 1992, the respondent filed a Notice of Appeal from his convictions in the Lyon County District Court. On April 2, 1992, the respondent filed a Motion for Appeal Bond. The State filed a Reply in Opposition to Motion for Appeal Bond on April 13, 1992. On April 16, 1992, the appeal bond sought by the respondent was denied by the Court of Appeals.
“6. On September 3,1993, the Court of Appeals of the State of Kansas reversed the respondent’s convictions and remanded the case for a new trial. The Court of Appeals held that the trial court erred in its response to the jury’s request for certain information during the deliberations by the jury.
“7. On October 4, 1993, the State of Kansas filed a Petition for Review with the Kansas Supreme Court.
“8. On November 10, 1993, die Kansas Supreme Court granted the Petition for Review by the State of Kansas. On April 15, 1994, the Kansas Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeals in its reversal of the District Court. The case was then remanded to the district court.
“9. The State of Kansas initially announced its intention to re-try the defendant on the same charges. The respondent was released from prison on June 6, 1994. On August 15, 1994, the respondent and the State entered into a plea agreement under which die respondent pleaded no contest to one (1) count of Aggravated Sexual Battery, in violation of K.S.A. 21-3518. Aggravated Sexual Battery is a Class D. felony. At the time the respondent was sentenced in this case, he had served thirty-tiiree (33) montiis and twelve (12) days. The court sentenced the defendant on the new conviction to the custody of the Secretary of Corrections for a period of not less than two (2) years and not more tiien five (5) years for the crime of Aggravated Sexual Battery. The court granted the defendant’s Motion for Probation, noting the fact that the respondent had already served a substantial period of time in prison.”

THE DISCIPLINARY PANEL'S FINAL REPORT

The following pertinent findings and recommendations were made by the panel:

“FINDINGS OF FACT
“Since the parties are in agreement as to the facts, and so stipulated, the facts are as contained in paragraph number [2] through 9 of the formal complaint on file herein and the panel adopts the same as if fully set out herein.
“Since the fact situation in this matter, to say the least is unusual, some of the stipulated facts need to be stated herein . The respondent was convicted of rape in the District Court of Lyon County, Kansas, on July 11, 1991. This violation concerned a young woman then age 17. The respondent was then sentenced to the custody of the Secretary of Corrections on August 20, 1991, and was incarcerated at the prison in Lansing, Kansas.
[961]*961“On appeal the conviction of the respondent was reversed by the Kansas Court of Appeals on the basis of trial error and the Kansas Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeals reversal of the conviction of this respondent.
“The respondent served 33 months and 12 days in prison on his conviction prior to being released on June 6,1994.
“The respondent and the state of Kansas, on August 15, 1994, entered into a plea agreement under which the respondent plead no contest to one count of aggravated sexual battery in violation of K.S.A. 21-3518, a Class D Felony, and was sentenced on the new conviction to the Secretary of Corrections for a period of not less than two (2) years and not more than five (5) years.
“The Court then granted the respondent’s motion and the respondent was placed on probation by reason the respondent had already served a substantial period of time in prison.
“The Kansas Supreme Court on November 15, 1991, temporarily suspended the respondent from the practice of law and this suspension is still in effect.
“The panel finds that by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent has violated the following rules of professional conduct:
“(a) MRPC 8.4(b) [1994 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 379] in that the respondent reflected adversely on the respondent’s honesty, trustworthiness and fitness as a lawyer;
“(b) MRPC 8.4(g) in that respondent engaged in conduct that adversely reflects on the respondent’s fitness to practice law.
“FINDINGS OF FACT OF AGGRAVATION OR MITIGATION

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Related

§ 21-3502
Kansas § 21-3502
§ 21-3517
Kansas § 21-3517
§ 21-4502
Kansas § 21-4502
§ 21-4501
Kansas § 21-4501
§ 21-3518
Kansas § 21-3518

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Bluebook (online)
895 P.2d 1252, 257 Kan. 959, 1995 Kan. LEXIS 69, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-myers-kan-1995.