A disciplinary complaint filed this week alleges 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley violated the state’s professional code of conduct for attorneys during the initial prosecution of Barry Morphew.
The state body is recommending that Stanley be appropriately disciplined for speaking publicly about the Morphew case, violating mandatory evidence disclosures and attempting to investigate a sitting judge without evidence to back it up.
Barry’s wife, Suzanne Morphew, was reported missing in May 2020. Barry was arrested on multiple charges, including first-degree murder. On April 19th, 2022, a judge granted the prosecution’s motion to dismiss the murder case against Barry.
In the 20-page complaint, the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel alleges Stanley interacted with Mike King, who hosts a YouTube channel devoted to true crime. The interactions include text exchanges, interviews with King and video comments Stanley allegedly made on King’s YouTube channel before, during and after Barry’s prosecution.
According to state authorities, Stanley defied the code of conduct with those interactions.
The Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel also alleges Stanley conducted a domestic violence investigation into Judge Lama following unfavorable rulings. The DA allegedly reached out to several prosecutors, “encouraging them to investigate whether Judge Lama ever abused his ex-wife.”
The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office reportedly refused to investigate since Stanley “had no good source for the investigation.” Stanley eventually enlisted her own investigator to interview Judge Lama’s ex-wife, the complaint states.
The complaint alleges, “Stanley used her position and office’s resources in a manner intended to prevent others, including Judge Lama, from effectively performing their roles in the criminal justice system.”
