LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones instructed a three-person panel deciding whether or not to disbar him that he made a “stupid mistake” when he wiped his cellphone clear of textual content messages associated to a lawsuit over a proposed actual property improvement.
“I would ask for your mercy,” Jones mentioned Tuesday night, within the second day of a three-day disciplinary listening to which can decide the way forward for Jones’ regulation license. “If I’m being honest, your mercy. I made a stupid mistake. And it’s haunted me for years now. And I hope you’ll see it that way. That it was a mistake and not an intentional act to deceive.”
However in two separate complaints, the state bar counsel accuses Jones of purposely deleting textual content messages in April 2019 to cover them and in addition to cover his efforts to bribe then-commissioner – and eventual Democratic Governor – Steve Sisolak in an effort to dam an actual property improvement venture close to Purple Rock Canyon. In the end the county settled a lawsuit associated to that venture for $80 million.
“It’s a felony act to bribe an elected official,” state bar counsel Dan Hooge mentioned Monday in his opening statements.
Wednesday, within the third day of testimony, Jones referred to as a number of witnesses in his personal protection to attempt to poke holes within the state bar’s case and to debate his character. A kind of witnesses, a well known Las Vegas felony protection lawyer, testified that Jones didn’t bribe Sisolak.
“It would be legally impossible,” Gentile mentioned, calling Jones’ dealings with Sisolak “purely political speech.”
The state bar counsel referred to as a witness to rebut Gentile’s testimony. UNLV Legislation Professor Benjamin Edwards, who teaches courses on authorized ethics, testified and submitted a written transient to the listening to panel outlining his argument that Jones bribed Sisolak.
“Mr. Jones is a member of the bar. He’s an officer of the court. He’s got serious obligations as an attorney to abide by the ethics rules.” Edwards continued: “When look at the conduct alleged in the complaint, I’m concerned because it is offering a public official a [benefit] in exchange for their official action.”
“On the whole, I find the conduct troubling,” Edwards mentioned.
Jones, the commissioner for Clark County District F since 2018, isn’t criminally charged for any of what the bar alleges in its complaints. Even so, Edwards mentioned the bar listening to panel may nonetheless self-discipline Jones if it discovered Jones bribed Sisolak.
“The mere fact of a criminal act is not enough,” Edwards mentioned. “You’re really focused on what it means.”
The attorneys will give their closing arguments late Wednesday, and the listening to panel could challenge its resolution on to what extent it disciplines Jones by Wednesday night time.
