Prosecutor pursues bar complaint against Morrissey

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The special prosecutor who gained a misdemeanor conviction last month against Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, D-Henrico, now is urging revocation of Morrissey’s license to practice law.

Spotsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney William Neely said he was expecting to meet with prosecutors from the Virginia State Bar Thursday to review his files on Morrissey’s case.

Neely said he had written to VSB chief prosecutor Edward L. Davis to report Morrissey’s conviction for contributing to the delinquency of a minor while in a custodial relationship.

In his letter to Davis, Neely termed the conviction one of “moral turpitude.”

Neely said VSB disciplinary rules require him to report the conviction. He provided VLW with a copy of his Dec. 15 letter to Davis.

“I trust that with this new conviction the Bar will see fit to institute disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Morrissey — seeking to again revoke his law license,” Neely wrote.

Davis declined to confirm or comment on the complaint, citing rules mandating VSB secrecy on ethics complaints.

Under attorney discipline rules in Virginia, “crime”  is defined as any felony offense or “any other offense involving theft, fraud, forgery, extortion, bribery, or perjury” or an attempt, solicitation or conspiracy to commit those offenses. Attorneys are subject to proceedings leading to possible suspension or revocation on a report of a “crime.”

Morrissey resigned his seat in the House of Delegates and is now running for the post as an independent while he serves a six-month sentence with work release privileges.

Morrissey has protested his innocence of wrongdoing in his relationship with the purported victim, a staffer in his office who was 17 years old at the time of the alleged crime.