State Attorney's Office Fires Three, Disciplines Three (MORE, CLICK HERE)

State Attorney's Office Fires Three, Disciplines Three
New York Lawyer - December 28, 2007
By Billy Shields - Daily Business Review

The Miami-Dade state attorney's office fired three employees and disciplined three others just before the Christmas holiday weekend for a host of alleged transgressions.

And one of its top prosecutors, division chief Herbert E. Walker III, resigned by e-mail Friday afternoon. His resignation did not say why he was stepping down and a spokeswoman for the state attorney's office said she did not know what motivated the resignation.

Assistant State Attorney Antonio Jimenez was fired after pleading a case below the state attorney's office sentencing guidelines, misrepresenting facts to his superiors in a career-criminal case in an attempt to dismiss it and disregarding instructions, according to a personnel memo from Don L. Horn, chief assistant state attorney for administration. Jimenez also lied to his superiors after the fact, according to Horn's memo.

Jimenez and Walker could not be reached for comment.

Horn declined to comment and referred questions to spokeswoman Terry Chavez, who would not elaborate on the firing or provide details about the related case.

She said the office has not decided whether to file a complaint against Jimenez with The Florida Bar.

Four of the disciplinary actions, including one firing, grew out of criminal cases heard by County Judge Karen Mills-Francis.

An intern was fired and an intern and two prosecutors were disciplined for allegedly agreeing to drop misdemeanor criminal cases in exchange for defendants making donations to Safe Space, a domestic violence shelter supported by the judge, according to Chavez.