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Indiana Supreme Court reprimands Floyd County prosecutor

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (AP) - The Indiana Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson for a conflict of interest in a triple-murder case but declined to suspend him as its disciplinary commission suggested.

The court ruled Friday that Henderson violated rules of professional conduct by simultaneously representing the state in the prosecution of David Camm and pursuing a book deal in the case in which the former Indiana state trooper was accused of killing his wife, Kimberly, and their two children in the fall of 2000. After his first two convictions were reversed on appeal, Camm was acquitted in a third trial in fall 2013.

"The violation is serious and adversely affected the administration of justice in this case," the court wrote. "However, noting (Henderson's) misconduct occurred in connection with a single, unusual case and is an aberration from what otherwise has been a long and distinguished career as a public servant, we conclude a suspension is not warranted in this case."

The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission formally asked for Henderson to be suspended in October.

After Camm's defense team learned of Henderson's plans to write a book, they asked that he be removed from the case, court records show. The request was denied initially but later granted on appeal by the Supreme Court.

The disciplinary commission, which investigates claims of misconduct against licensed attorneys including prosecutors, filed a complaint against Henderson in March 2016 alleging he violated rules of conduct when he signed an agreement with a literary agency to produce a book about the Camm trials.

Henderson's attorney, Donald Lundberg, argued in a filing in the disciplinary case that a public reprimand was unnecessary because his client did not violate ethics rules. He argued that Henderson accepted the publishing agreement during Camm's appeal of the second conviction, which the Indiana Attorney General had jurisdiction over, not Henderson. Lundberg also noted that Henderson cancelled all literary agreements and returned advance checks after Camm's second conviction was reversed.

Henderson was removed from the case before the third trial.

Disciplinary hearing officer David Pippen released his opinion in early August, finding Henderson violated ethics by entertaining a book deal. Pippen recommended the public reprimand.

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Information from: News and Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind., http://www.newsandtribune.com

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