Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legal Prosecution Conflict Counsel topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves outside conflict counsel to handle prosecutorial conflict
Summary
The council approved a resolution to retain attorney Chris Redmond as conflict counsel to handle prosecutions when the city's regular prosecutors have conflicts of interest.
The Lincoln City Council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor's office to retain outside conflict counsel to handle prosecutions in cases where the city's regular prosecutors are ethically conflicted.
The mayor explained that occasional conflicts arise when the city attorney's office or the usual firm cannot represent the city due to prior relationships or ethical rules. The city requested Chris Redmond, who prosecutes for a neighboring county, to serve as conflict counsel at the same rate currently paid for city prosecution work. A motion to retain Redmond as conflict counsel was made, seconded and approved on a recorded voice vote; a roll call recorded a set of affirmative votes and the clerk recorded the motion as passed.
Why it matters: retaining conflict counsel ensures the city can continue criminal prosecutions where its regular prosecutor is disqualified, preserving the city's ability to enforce local ordinances and pursue criminal matters without delay.
The mayor and city attorney noted the arrangement is a short-term solution while a longer-term approach is developed.
