Lawyer Who Missed Client’s Murder Trial Referred to State Bar
A Las Vegas lawyer who missed the first day of his client’s murder trial because he was on sabbatical has been referred to the Nevada State Bar.
The bar confirmed it received an ethics complaint regarding Glen Lerner, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Lerner, a personal injury lawyer who calls himself the Heavy Hitter, had left a voice mail with a county prosecutor saying he was on sabbatical out of state and wouldn’t be returning for the trial. The bar did not indicate the source of the complaint, but the judge in the murder case had previously said she would report Lerner to the state bar.
Lerner told the newspaper in an earlier story that he had tried to reach a deal with the prosecutor in the murder case, and when it didn’t work out, he asked for more time to prepare for trial. “I’d rather be sanctioned than railroad my guy into accepting 25 years in prison,” he said.
He said he is providing free representation for the defendant in the murder case, who had cleaned his pool. Lerner’s lawyer says he doesn’t appear to be the attorney of record in the case.
