Photo: Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association
The Kentucky Supreme Court suspended prosecutor Ronnie Goldy from practicing law after it was discovered he promised favors in court to a defendant in exchange for nude photos.
The newspaperreported in Julythat Goldy had exchanged 230 Facebook messages with a defendant, promising favors in return for the nude photos.
Goldy testified at a hearing onSept. 9that he did not recall any of the messages, though he did not deny sending them to the defendant — identified as Misty Helton of Salt Lick, Kentucky, according to theCourier Journal. The prosecutor gave the same answer when asked about more than a dozen specific messages.
Helton confirmed the messages' authenticity and told a bar inquiry commission that she and Goldy had sex and she provided him with photos of herself in exchange for his withdrawal of warrants and continuing cases, according to theCourier Journal. The messages were exchanged over a period of five years, Helton testified.
During the Sept. 9 hearing, theCourier Journalreported that Goldy argued that none of the Facebook messages explicitly ask for nude photos, leading Helton to respond: “Do you think he was asking for photos of my cat?”
Neither the Kentucky Supreme Court nor Goldy immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment Monday.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Goldy “abused the trust of the public and brought the legal system into disrepute,” a July 14 petition to temporarily ban the prosecutor from practicing reads, according to theCourier Journal.
The Kentucky Supreme Court said Friday it suspended Goldy on the recommendation of a hearing officer, retired Judge Jean Chenault Lodge, according to theCourier Journal.
The state’s constitution says elected officials may be impeached for misdemeanors, and the Legislative Research Commission has said that includes violations of public trust and malfeasance in office, the newspaper reported. Anyone can submit a written petition for impeachment to the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Goldy may also face disbarment on top of the suspension, according to theAssociated Press.
source: people.com
