An attorney for Knox County Prosecutor Dirk Carnahan is contesting a discipline case against him and says the prosecutor is the victim of a vendetta born of the small-town rumor mill.
The Indiana Lawyer.com ( www.theindianalawyer.com) reported this week that Carnahan’s former Chief Deputy Prosecutor, Joseph Burton, now retired and living in Farmersburg, was suspended for 90 days from practicing law by the Indiana Supreme Court. The suspension was the result of what the court said was Burton’s violation of Professional Conduct Rules. The court said he abused his authority as part of a retaliation campaign against a Vincennes Police Detective who discovered Burton’s sexual relationship with a criminal defendant.
Meanwhile Carnahan is accused in an attorney discipline case. The ethics charges are based on actions during and after he complained about the investigation by the Vincennes Police Detective. They revolve around an email sent to then Police Chief Dusty Luking . The email has been described as threatening.
Carnahan’s attorney says the Burton case mischaracterized Carnahan and there are no charges that the elected prosecutor was involved in a relationship of any kind with a criminal defendant or inmate.
Carnahan’s final disciplinary hearing is in June in Indianapolis.