Court orders new trial, holding former prosecutor, now TV personality engaged in unethical conduct

Jonathan Turley's Res Ipsa Loquitur is reporting that a state court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted in 2007 due to unethical conduct of former prosecutor television personality Kelly Siegler, the star of the reality series Cold Justice on TNT.   The judge detailed an astonishing 36 instances of unethical conduct by Siegler, including withholding exculpatory evidence.  The judge explained that the prosecutor testified at a habeas hearing that favorable evidence did not need to be disclosed if the state did not believe it was true.  This is interesting because if she really believed that then you may be able to argue she did not "knowingly" violate the law.  Yet, you can also argue she is incompetent since that is obviously not the standard.  So, either way, there is basis to argue unethical conduct.

Siegler, not surprisingly, has denied she engaged in misconduct and has asserted she never withheld evidence.  Reportedly, attorneys are now re-investigating all the murder cases she was involved in.

Sadly, this is not the first "TV prosecutor" with a history of allegations of unethical conduct.  The other, of course, is Nancy Grace, who has been accused of being an unethical prosecutor who violated the rights of accused persons.