Huntingdon, Tenn.—24th Judicial District Attorney General Matt Stowe has been publicly censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court. The action has been long-awaited, since the Board of Professional Responsibility filed a petition for discipline against Stowe in February of 2016.
According to the press release from the Board of Professional Responsibility, a public censure is a rebuke and a warning to the lawyer but does not affect the attorney’s ability to practice law.
The original complaint alleged that Stowe “engaged in multiple acts of harassment that had no substantial purpose other than to embarrass, delay or burden a witness,” according to the release.
According to the Board, Stowe was working with a witness on her testimony for a murder trial when the incident occurred.
“Despite the witness’s agreement with the Assistant District Attorney to attend the trial as scheduled, Mr. Stowe began directly communicating with the witness and her supervisor in a harassing and hostile manner and stated that he would hold her personally responsible if she ‘blow[s] this trial,’” the release states. “Mr. Stowe indicated that he would prosecute her if she failed to appear and directed his office to begin preparation for those charges, even though he knew she had confirmed her appearance.”
“As a result of Mr. Stowe’s harassment, the witness retained private counsel to accompany her to the trial as a precaution because she was concerned that if her testimony did not satisfy Mr. Stowe, he would take some kind of action against her,” the release states.
Stowe is ordered to pay costs to the Board of Professional Responsibility.
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