N.S. lawyer admits embezzling ‘friendly-fire' funds

[big bad john]

I'd like to hang this guy litterally.  He just disgusts me!


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060927.wfirelawyer0927/BNStory/National/home

N.S. lawyer admits embezzling ‘friendly-fire' funds
Canadian Press

Halifax — A high-profile lawyer who sued the U.S. government for the mother of a Canadian soldier killed by American friendly fire has admitted he embezzled money from his clients, CBC Radio reports.

A disciplinary board with the Nova Scotia Barristers Society heard that Dick Murtha billed for work he didn't do, hid insurance settlements from recipients and took out high-interest loans for clients without their knowledge, according to CBC.

That has added up to $200,000 now missing from his clients' accounts.

Darrell Pink of the society says Mr. Murtha violated almost every trust account regulation for maintaining books appropriately.

Mr. Murtha, a decorated war veteran, is claiming he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder that dates back to his time in Vietnam, where he served with the U.S. Marines.

His lawyer, Brian Smith, says the 9-11 terrorist attacks and Mr. Murtha's work with Canadian families who lost relatives in the friendly fire bombing in Afghanistan have worsened his condition.

Mr. Murtha will be banned from practising law in Nova Scotia and his clients will be reimbursed by his insurance company or the barristers society, CBC reported.

Mr. Murtha was suspended last January while the society conducted its investigation. His office in nearby Lower Sackville, N.S., has been closed and the society transferred his files and clients to other lawyers with the help of a receiver.

Mr. Murtha represented the mother of Pte. Richard Green, who was killed in Afghanistan with three other soldiers when a U.S. pilot dropped a laser-guided bomb on their position during a night-firing exercise in 2002.

 

[211RadOp]

Should be shot  :threat:  :akimbo:

 

[Timmy!]

His office is just down the street from me... care for a beer?

 

[darmil]

Should be hanged for sure. Why do they use PTSD as an excuse to do wrong. :

 

[scoutfinch]

Trust me, Murtha IS crazy but it ain't PTSD that caused him to steal.  He stole because he is a greedy megalomaniac with an enormous sense of entitlement. 

 

[Mike Baker]

Terribal, it just makes me sick!

 

[211RadOp]

His office is just down the street from me... care for a beer?

I would, but I left NS about 12 years ago.

 

[xo31@711ret]

It seems to me from what I've read,  blames getting caught on PTSD  :!?  just my opinion:...:rage: sounds like total BULLS**T!! yo me...

 

[2 Cdo]

F'ing oxygen thief! :threat:

 

[dapaterson]

Given the rather clubby atmosphere of the Nova Scotia legal community, will there be any effective punishment meted out?  Professional societies tend to look out for their own; I suspect a few harsh words and possibly a suspension may occur.

Of course, were someone else to rob people, they would go before a court, face criminal charges, and possibly spend time in one of her Majesty's less agreeable facilities (and no, I'm not talking about the shacks in Gagetown).  Will the Law Society turn over the records from their hearings to the RCMP to ensure justice ?

 

[patrick666]

Now if anybody was so deserving of a throat-punch... What a horrible and disgusting reprobate..

 

[scoutfinch]

dapaterson:  Before you start slagging the entire NS legal community, perhaps you should be advised that it was a lawyer that turned him in.  I assure you it will be much more than harsh words and a suspension.
 
I speak with good authority when I say that I have no doubt that he will be disbarred.  I also have solid reason to believe that he will be charged criminally for fraud amongst other things.  He will also likely face charges for income tax evasion that will probably result in jail time.

There is no need for the Barristers Society to turn over the records of the proceedings to the RCMP.  The meetings are open to the public and the transcripts are easily attainable. 


So, all the things that you mentioned in your post about what would happen to a person from another profession will indeed be visited upon Mr. Murtha.

 

[Devlin]

F'ing oxygen thief! :threat:

+1

 

[MPIKE]

I speak with good authority when I say that I have no doubt that he will be disbarred.

And I will say on good authority that will be likely the worse that will be done to him.      The families get victimized twice around.  I wonder if the system will step forth and make an example of him?  hmm, but there is still that great presumption of innocence that is afforded to him. :-X [sarcasm]

 

[dapaterson]

Scoutfinch:

Perhpas I should broaden my brush to cover all Nova Scotia, and not merely members of the Bar.  I have some family in Nova Scotia, and they will be the first to admit that it can be (at times) provincial (pardon the pun).  A former girlfriend graduated from law at Dal, and spoke in poor terms of the insular nature of the NS legal community.  Their input, as well as some personal experiences has given me certain impressions of the community at large which I projected on to this case, without justification I should add.

While I am pleased that the NS Barristers Society plans more than a slap on the wrist, I still harbour fears that adequate criminal prosecution will not be a by-product of this case.  Admittedly, that is not a Nova Scotia issue so much as a white-collar crime issue.


...besides, if we can't pick on Lawyers, people might turn their sites to NDHQ staff officers, and that would never do...

 

[scoutfinch]

And I will say on good authority that will be likely the worse that will be done to him.      The families get victimized twice around.  I wonder if the system will step forth and make an example of him?  hmm, but there is still that great presumption of innocence that is afforded to him. :-X [sarcasm]

Well, I assure you that you are no where nearly as well placed as I am to make that judgment.  Disbarrment is the only mechanism the Barrister's Society has to punish him.  The rest is up to the Crown (federal and provincial). 

Trust me, the Crown and the Barristers Society can afford to grant him the presumption of innocence.  There is more than enough evidence to result in his subsequent disbarrment and/or criminal conviction.

 

[scoutfinch]

Scoutfinch:

Perhpas I should broaden my brush to cover all Nova Scotia, and not merely members of the Bar.  I have some family in Nova Scotia, and they will be the first to admit that it can be (at times) provincial (pardon the pun).  A former girlfriend graduated from law at Dal, and spoke in poor terms of the insular nature of the NS legal community.  Their input, as well as some personal experiences has given me certain impressions of the community at large which I projected on to this case, without justification I should add.

While I am pleased that the NS Barristers Society plans more than a slap on the wrist, I still harbour fears that adequate criminal prosecution will not be a by-product of this case.  Admittedly, that is not a Nova Scotia issue so much as a white-collar crime issue.


...besides, if we can't pick on Lawyers, people might turn their sites to NDHQ staff officers, and that would never do...

I am not a local Nova Scotian.  I am a 'come from away.'  I can say with all confidence that it is not so much the NS Legal Community that is insular as it is the whole province!

As for the criminal prosecutions, that is out of the hands of the Barrister's Society but I anticipate that they would cooperate fully with any investigation and subsequent prosecution. 

 

[dapaterson]

I can say with all confidence that it is not so much the NS Legal Community that is insular as it is the whole province!

As someone whose family has been in Nova Scotia less than a century, I wholeheartedly agree... I think by about 2135 or so my family might be accepted as being almost local...

 

[scoutfinch]

Too true.  My family originally came over on The Hector so I have the right last name but unfortunately my dad was in the military so I didn't live here until I moved here as an adult 5 years ago. 

It is very confusing for them 'cause they don't know how to treat me  -- am I a local who went away or a come from away?

 

[Weinie]

  As someone who is from Nova Scotia, and has never used and rarely heard the term "come from away" to describe folks who come to the province, let me suggest that you might be more accepted if you stop using these types of terms with us Bluenosers, and just cracked a Keith's.  ;D