Attorney Grievance v. Cassilly

Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland v. Joseph Ignatius Cassilly, Misc. Docket AG No. 31, September Term, 2020 ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE – SANCTIONS – DISBARMENT – Court of Appeals disbarred lawyer who, in his capacity as prosecutor, knowingly and intentionally failed to disclose for more than decade exculpatory evidence that came to light after defendant’s conviction, discarded evidence, sought to have forensic evidence in case destroyed, knowingly made false statements of fact to court and defense counsel concerning content of evidence, and, during Bar Counsel’s investigation, failed to comply with subpoena to provide statement under oath. Such conduct violated Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct/Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct 3.3(a)(1) (Candor Toward Tribunal), 3.4(a) (Fairness to Opposing Party and Counsel), 3.8(d) (Special Responsibilities of Prosecutor), 8.1(b) (Failing to Respond to Lawful Demand for Information), 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit, or Misrepresentation), 8.4(d) (Conduct that is Prejudicial to Administration of Justice), and 8.4(a) (Violating Rules of Professional Conduct). Circuit Court for Harford County Case No. C-12-CV-20-000648 Argued: September 9, 2021 IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF MARYLAND Misc.

Docket AG No. 31 September Term, 2020 ______________________________________ ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE COMMISSION OF MARYLAND v. JOSEPH IGNATIUS CASSILLY ______________________________________ Getty, C.J. McDonald Watts Hotten Booth Biran Battaglia, Lynne A. (Senior Judge, Specially Assigned) JJ. ______________________________________ Opinion by Watts, J. Concurring opinion by McDonald, J. ______________________________________ Filed: October 22, 2021 Pursuant to Maryland Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act (§§ 10-1601 et seq. of the State Government Article) this document is authentic. 2022-06-15 15:03-04:00 Suzanne C. Johnson, Clerk This attorney discipline proceeding involves a lawyer who, in his capacity as a prosecutor, knowingly and intentionally failed to disclose for more than a decade exculpatory evidence that came to light after a defendant’s conviction, discarded the evidence, knowingly made false statements of fact to a court and defense counsel concerning the content of the evidence, opposed the defendant’s postconviction1 petitions and sought to have forensic evidence that was the subject of the defendant’s post-trial request for review destroyed, and, during Bar Counsel’s investigation, failed to comply with a subpoena to provide a statement under oath. Joseph Ignatius Cassilly, Respondent, a member of the Bar of Maryland, served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Harford County from 1977 until January 3, 1983, at which time he became the elected State’s Attorney for Harford County, a position he served in until his retirement in January 2019. Beginning in 1981, in his capacity as an Assistant State’s Attorney and later as the State’s Attorney, Cassilly represented the State in prosecuting John Norman Huffington for the murder of two people.

As State’s Attorney, Cassilly represented the State in various postconviction proceedings in Huffington’s case and after many years of such proceedings, in 2018, Huffington filed a complaint against Cassilly with Bar Counsel. On September 8, 2020, on behalf of the Attorney Grievance Commission, Petitioner, Bar Counsel filed in this Court a “Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action” against 1 For purposes of this opinion, when we use the word “postconviction,” we are not referring exclusively to a petition filed under the Uniform Postconviction Procedure Act, Md. Code Ann., Crim. Proc. (2001, 2018 Repl.

Vol.) §§ 7-101 to 7-301. The term encompasses a variety of petitions for relief that a defendant may file after conviction. Cassilly, charging him with violating Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct (“MLRPC”) and Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct (“MARPC”) 3.3(a)(1) (Candor Toward the Tribunal), 3.4(a) (Fairness to Opposing Party and Counsel), 3.8(d) (Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor), 8.1(a) (False Statement of Material Fact), 8.1(b) (Failing to Respond to a Lawful Demand for Information), 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit, or Misrepresentation), 8.4(d) (Conduct that is Prejudicial to the Administration of Justice), and 8.4(a) (Violating the Rules of Professional Conduct).2 On September 17, 2020, this Court designated the Honorable Barbara K. Howe (“the hearing judge”) to hear the attorney discipline proceeding in the Circuit Court for Harford County. On February 3, 4, and 5, 2021, the hearing judge conducted a remote hearing via Zoom for Government.3 On March 10, 2021, the hearing judge filed in this Court an opinion including findings of fact and conclusions of law, concluding that Cassilly had violated Rules 3.3(a)(1), 3.4(a), 3.8(d), 8.4(c), 8.4(d), and 8.4(a), but had not violated Rule 2 Prior to July 1, 2016, the MLRPC were contained in an appendix to Maryland Rule 16-812.

Effective July 1, 2016, the MLRPC were renamed the MARPC and relocated to Title 19 of the Maryland Rules and renumbered, without substantive change. See Md. R. 19-300.1 to 19-308.5. The misconduct at issue in this case occurred both before and after the change. Because both versions of the Rules are applicable and there is no substantive difference between the two, in this opinion, we refer to the charged violations, including those that are alleged to have occurred after July 1, 2016, by the form used in the MLRPC (e.g., MLRPC/MARPC 3.3(a)(1) will be referred to as Rule 3.3(a)(1)). 3 Pursuant to an Administrative Order of March 13, 2020, due to the COVID-19 emergency, Maryland courts were closed; and certain mandatory/emergency matters were designated to continue to be scheduled and heard either in person or remotely.

Pursuant to an Administrative Order of June 3, 2020, the Judiciary began a progressive resumption of operations including the scheduling and hearing of Attorney Grievance Commission cases, with the continued authorization to conduct remote proceedings. -2- 8.1.4 On September 9, 2021, we heard oral argument. For the below reasons, we disbar Cassilly. BACKGROUND The hearing judge found the following facts, which we summarize. On June 28, 1977, this Court admitted Cassilly to the Bar of Maryland.

Cassilly served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Harford County, Maryland from 1977 until January 3, 1983, when he was sworn in as the elected State’s Attorney for Harford County. Cassilly served as the State’s Attorney for Harford County from that date until his retirement in January 2019. After retiring, Cassilly voluntarily assumed “inactive/retired” status pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-605(b).5 State v. John Norman Huffington First Trial On May 25, 1981, Diane Becker was found murdered in her trailer in Harford County. The body of Joseph Hudson, Jr., Becker’s boyfriend, was found on a dirt road nearby.

Hudson had been shot several times. 4 Although the hearing judge did not specify which section of Rule 8.1 Cassilly had not violated, it is evident from the circumstances involved that the hearing judge concluded Cassilly had not violated Rule 8.1(b), which proscribes a knowing failure to respond to a lawful demand for information from Bar Counsel. At oral argument in this Court, Deputy Bar Counsel advised that Petitioner is not pursuing the charged violation of Rule 8.1(a). As such, we do not address the matter. 5 Maryland Rule 19-605(b)(1) provides: “The trustees of the [Client Protection] Fund may approve attorneys, other than attorneys on permanent retired status pursuant to Rule 19-717.1, for inactive/retired status, and, by regulation, may provide a uniform deadline date for seeking approval of inactive/retired status.” -3- On June 16, 1981, a grand jury in Harford County indicted Huffington on two counts of first-degree murder and related offenses in connection with the deaths of Becker and Hudson. On July 28, 1981, the grand jury also indicted a person named Deno C. Kanaras on two counts of first-degree murder and related offenses in connection with the deaths.

Kanaras admitted that he was present at the time of the murders but alleged that it was Huffington who murdered Becker and Hudson. Huffington and Kanaras were tried separately. At Huffington’s request, venue was transferred to the Circuit Court for Caroline County. Huffington’s trial occurred from November 3 to 13, 1981.

Assistant State’s Attorney Gerard S. Comen served as lead counsel with Cassilly serving as second chair. Huffington was represented by the Office of the Public Defender. At trial, Kanaras testified as a witness on the State’s behalf. Huffington was convicted of two counts of felony murder and was sentenced to death.

Huffington appealed and, on December 6, 1982, this Court reversed the judgments of conviction.6 Second Trial On remand, venue was changed to the Circuit Court for Frederick County. From November 8 through 19, 1983, Huffington’s second trial occurred. Cassilly and Comen represented the State again. Kanaras was the only eyewitness to the murders and again testified on the State’s behalf.

By the time of Huffington’s second trial, Kanaras had been convicted of Becker’s murder. At the second trial, the State called Federal Bureau of 6 In Huffington v. State, 295 Md. 1, 16 , 452 A.2d 1211, 1218 (1982), this Court reversed the judgments of conviction and remanded the case for a new trial. -4- Investigation (“FBI”) Agent Michael P. Malone as an expert in forensic testing to corroborate Kanaras’s testimony that Huffington was at the scene of Becker’s murder. Agent Malone testified that hair samples recovered from Becker’s trailer “microscopically matched the head hairs of Mr. Huffington – that is, they were indistinguishable from Mr. Huffington’s head hairs; you could not tell them apart.” (Brackets omitted). When asked on cross-examination, Agent Malone acknowledged, though, that microscopic hair comparison cannot be utilized as a means of positive personal identification.

At the conclusion of the trial, Huffington was again convicted of two counts of felony murder for the deaths of Becker and Hudson and sentenced to death. On November 13, 1985, this Court affirmed the judgments of conviction.7 Thereafter, Huffington filed a series of postconviction motions. On January 13, 1988, David O. Stewart, Esq., entered his appearance on Huffington’s behalf. From 1988 until the conclusion of the case in 2017, Huffington was represented by Stewart’s law firm, Ropes & Gray, LLC.

On January 8, 1991, the circuit court granted, in part, a petition for postconviction relief and ordered a new sentencing hearing. On April 28, 1992, the circuit court sentenced Huffington to life imprisonment. Huffington filed a second petition for postconviction relief, which was denied, and an application for leave to appeal the denial of the second petition for postconviction relief, which was also denied. In addition, Huffington unsuccessfully petitioned in federal court for a writ of habeas corpus.8 7 See Huffington v. State, 304 Md. 559, 596 , 500 A.2d 272, 290 (1985). 8 See Huffington v. Nuth, 140 F.3d 572, 585 (4th Cir. 1998). -5- The 1989 Tobin Memorandum In 1981, Alcee Hastings, a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to an alleged bribery scheme.

Hastings was alleged to have accepted $150,000 in exchange for releasing $1.2 million dollars in funds seized from two criminal defendants and reducing the defendants’ sentences. Hastings was acquitted. A federal judiciary committee was appointed to investigate an ethics complaint filed against Hastings in connection with the bribery scheme. In 1985, as part of its investigation, the committee submitted to the FBI Laboratory a broken purse strap that Hastings had offered as evidence during his criminal trial.

The FBI assigned Agent Malone to conduct an analysis of the purse strap. Agent Malone believed that the purse strap had been intentionally cut. Agent Malone took the purse strap to William Tobin, a metallurgist working in the FBI Laboratory. While Agent Malone observed, Tobin performed tests on the purse strap using a tensile tester, a device that measures the force necessary to break an object.

On October 2, 1985, Agent Malone falsely testified before the committee that he had conducted the tensile test. The committee determined that Hastings had engaged in misconduct and impeachment proceedings were begun in the United States Congress. Tobin was asked to testify before Congress. In preparing to testify, Tobin reviewed a transcript of Agent Malone’s testimony before the committee.

As a result, in August 1989, Tobin wrote a memorandum to his section chief raising concerns about Agent Malone’s testimony. In the memorandum, Tobin stated that Agent Malone falsely testified that he (Agent Malone) -6- had performed the tensile test on the purse strap. In addition, Tobin identified other false statements in Agent Malone’s testimony that contradicted laboratory findings and instances in which Agent Malone “presented apparently and potentially exculpatory information as incriminating.” (Brackets omitted). The 1997 Department of Justice Report In April 1997, the Department of Justice (“the DOJ”) Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) issued a report entitled “The FBI Laboratory: An Investigation into Laboratory Practices and Alleged Misconduct in Explosives-Related and Other Cases” (“the 1997 Report”).

The 1997 Report criticized thirteen FBI Laboratory examiners for a number of issues, including the quality of their work, inaccurate testimony, testimony given beyond their level of expertise, and scientifically flawed and improperly prepared reports. The 1997 Report included a section entitled “Tobin Allegations[,]” which pertained to the investigation of Tobin’s allegations against Agent Malone. The 1997 Report stated: Based on our investigation, we conclude that Malone, in his 1985 testimony before the Investigating Committee, falsely testified that he had himself performed the tensile test and that he testified outside his expertise and inaccurately concerning the test results. The OIG questioned Malone about Tobin’s allegations and, to his credit, Malone agreed with many points that Tobin had raised.

Malone maintained, however, that he was justified in giving certain testimony because he was offering his own personal opinions rather than expert opinions. This is not a persuasive rationale for the presentation of inaccurate testimony by a Laboratory examiner. Before the Investigating Committee, Malone testified falsely when he responded yes to the question, did you actually, yourself, conduct this test? In his OIG interview, Malone admitted that he was technically wrong in his response but noted that he had been right there when the test was conducted.

Malone’s presence when the test performed does not justify his inaccurate response to the question whether he actually conducted the test. -7- Malone’s testimony that he conducted the test is particularly egregious, because he proceeded to inaccurately describe how the test was performed and the significance of its results. *** In the Alcee Hastings case, we find that Michael Malone testified falsely and outside his expertise in discussing tensile tests performed by the Laboratory. Moreover, after Tobin raised concerns about Malone’s testimony in 1989, then [Scientific Analysis Section]-Chief Kenneth Nimmich failed to assure that the serious allegations of examiner misconduct were appropriately investigated and addressed. Huffington’s counsel received a copy of the 1997 Report. FBI Laboratory Task Force In 1997, the DOJ established a task force to analyze disclosure issues related to the OIG’s investigation of the FBI Laboratory.

On June 18, 1997, Lucy Thompson, a senior attorney assigned to the task force, wrote to Cassilly, enclosing a copy of the 1997 Report, the Tobin memorandum, an article from The Wall Street Journal dated April 16, 1997, a letter from Huffington’s attorney, Stewart, to the DOJ dated April 24, 1997, and Thompson’s June 18, 1997 reply to Stewart. Thompson requested that, after Cassilly reviewed the disclosures, he contact Amy B. Jabloner, who was working with the Criminal Division of the DOJ and was assigned to the task force.9 On July 18, 1997, Cassilly spoke with Jabloner concerning Huffington’s case. After their discussion, Jabloner drafted a memorandum to her file, stating: Joseph Cassilly, the State’s Attorney who prosecuted the Huffington case has decided to wait a while to see if the defense files any post-conviction motions in this case. He had originally requested that an FBI laboratory examiner The hearing judge noted that Jabloner’s surname after marriage is Oliver and that 9 she was called as a fact witness by Bar Counsel during the disciplinary hearing. -8- retest the evidence, but reconsidered and decided to wait to see what the defense will do since it has received a copy of the [1997 R]eport.

I informed him that he can still request the scientific review and asked that he write a memo to Sue Hayn if he decides to do so. Cassilly will request copies of the trial transcripts from the [Attorney General]’s office. The Robertson Report In connection with the task force, the FBI hired forensic scientists to conduct independent reviews of cases in which the work of examiners criticized by the OIG was material to a conviction. This included Huffington’s case.

Steve Robertson, a hair and fiber analyst hired by the FBI, was assigned to review Agent Malone’s conduct in Huffington’s case. Robertson reviewed Agent Malone’s July 15, 1981 report in Huffington’s case, Agent Malone’s bench notes, eighty evidence specimens, and Agent Malone’s testimony at Huffington’s and Kanaras’s trials. On September 16, 1999, Robertson issued a report with findings and conclusions entitled “Independent Case Review Report” (“the Robertson Report”). According to the hearing judge, in the report, Robertson stated that “he was unable to determine whether Agent Malone performed the appropriate tests in a scientifically acceptable manner and that Agent Malone’s examination results as set forth in the laboratory report were not supported or adequately documented in the bench notes.” With respect to Agent Malone’s bench notes, Robertson stated: The notes are not dated, are in pencil and have some erasures.

Some hair were [sic] deemed unsuitable with no documented reason or explanation. The examiner uses abbreviations that are difficult to interpret. Some questioned hair were [sic] matched or eliminated as coming from the known samples without characterization of the microscopic characteristics observed in these questioned or known hair. The technicians do not document the recovery of any hair from the questioned items. -9- Robertson found that Agent Malone’s testimony was consistent with the laboratory report but inconsistent with his bench notes.

In addition, Robertson stated that, based on the 1982 transcript of Kanaras’s trial, Agent Malone testified that he personally performed certain tests that he (Robertson) had determined were most likely performed by laboratory technicians. On October 21, 1999, Thompson wrote to Cassilly concerning the independent scientific review in Huffington’s case and enclosed the Robertson Report. At the time, Huffington had exhausted all postconviction remedies. In the letter to Cassilly, Thompson noted that Cassilly had previously been provided with the 1997 Report concerning Agent Malone and summarized the OIG’s findings concerning his testimony in the Hastings case, including the OIG’s conclusions that Agent Malone’s testimony had been incorrect and misleading, that he had testified falsely regarding the tensile test, and that he had been criticized for testifying outside of his expertise and inaccurately as to the results.

In the letter, Thompson requested that Cassilly “review the enclosed documents, the OIG report, and any other pertinent information you may have to determine whether the report of the independent scientist should be disclosed to the defendant or to the defendant’s counsel.” Cassilly did not provide a copy of the Robertson Report to Huffington’s counsel. According to the hearing judge, at the disciplinary hearing, Cassilly testified that he “kept the 1997 Report and the Robertson Report for five years and then discarded them and forgot about them.” The hearing judge found that Cassilly did not maintain a copy of either the - 10 - 1997 Report or the Robertson Report in the State’s file.10 The hearing judge credited the testimony of Bar Counsel’s expert witness, Andrew V. Jezic, Esquire, who was accepted as an expert in criminal law, that the Robertson Report was exculpatory and constituted impeachment material, and that Cassilly was obligated to disclose the Robertson Report. The hearing judge found: The definition of exculpatory evidence as provided in Rule 3.8(d) is all evidence or information known to the prosecutor that tends to negate the guilt of the accused. [] Robertson’s conclusions that he could not determine whether Agent Malone conducted his testing in a scientifically acceptable manner and that Agent Malone’s bench notes were inconsistent with his testimony were relevant to the reliability and credibility of Agent Malone’s testimony. As [] Jezic testified, the conclusion that the Robertson Report was exculpatory is bolstered by the information the DOJ provided to [Cassilly] regarding Agent Malone’s false testimony in the Hastings case. [Cassilly] maintains that the disclosure of the Robertson Report was unnecessary because the report was not exculpatory.

This Court disagrees. This Court finds that the Robertson Report tended to negate [] Huffington’s guilt and was exculpatory. This Court further finds that [Cassilly] had a duty to disclose the Robertson Report to defense counsel and failed to do so. (Record citations omitted).

Petition to Preserve Forensic Evidence and Conduct DNA Analysis On August 14, 2003, Huffington filed a “Petition to Preserve Forensic Evidence and Conduct DNA Analysis” seeking, among things, to test “the hairs that were found at trial to be microscopically similar to [] Huffington’s hair[.]” At the time of the filing of the petition, Huffington’s counsel was unaware of the Robertson Report. On August 28, 2003, 10 The hearing judge rejected Cassilly’s testimony that he provided a copy of the Robertson Report to the Innocence Project, finding that “[n]o documentation was presented to affirm this contention.” - 11 - Cassilly filed an opposition to the petition and requested permission from the circuit court to destroy the forensic evidence in Huffington’s case. At the disciplinary hearing, Cassilly testified that he did not remember that there had been a report reviewing Agent Malone’s testimony. The hearing judge rejected Cassilly’s testimony on this point.

The circuit court denied Cassilly’s request to destroy the evidence and granted Huffington’s request to conduct DNA testing of the hairs found at the scene that had been matched to Huffington. Cassilly sent the hair samples to Huffington’s expert, but the expert was not able to identify which hairs Agent Malone had matched to Huffington. On November 1, 2006, Huffington filed a motion to dismiss the petition to conduct the DNA analysis. The court dismissed the petition and granted Huffington’s request that the forensic evidence be preserved.

Petition for a Writ of Actual Innocence On November 3, 2010, Huffington filed a “Petition for Writ of Actual Innocence.” Huffington contended that newly discovered evidence created a significant possibility that the result at trial would have been different. Among other things, Huffington specifically asserted that Agent Malone’s hair and fiber analysis and the comparative bullet lead analysis were unreliable. Huffington relied on reports issued by the National Academy of Sciences between 2006 and 2010, which concluded that there is no scientific support for the use of hair comparison for individual identifications in the absence of DNA testing. In addition, Huffington maintained that new evidence had been discovered discrediting Agent Malone as a witness based on the conclusion in the 1997 Report that Agent Malone gave false and misleading testimony in the Hastings case.

According to the hearing judge, - 12 - Huffington also identified other cases in which he alleged courts had determined that Agent Malone’s testimony had been false or misleading and resulted in wrongful convictions.11 The hearing judge found that Cassilly “had a heightened duty to disclose the Robertson Report” after Huffington filed the petition because of the information that was available to Cassilly, but not Huffington, that “called into question the credibility of Agent Malone’s testimony.” Instead, on January 14, 2011, Cassilly had filed a response to the petition, stating: “No evidence has been presented that the conclusion that examiner Malone rendered in court is not correct. References that Malone was found deficient in another case may be impeaching but it does not prove that his observations in this case are incorrect.” At the disciplinary hearing, Cassilly testified that at the time the petition for a writ of actual innocence was filed, he no longer had a copy of the Robertson Report, did not recall the details of the report, did not remember that the FBI performed an independent analysis of Agent Malone’s work in Huffington’s case, and that there was nothing in the report that challenged Agent Malone’s findings. The hearing judge rejected this testimony. On January 20, 2011, Huffington’s counsel wrote to Cassilly, requesting that the State produce “any and all results of investigations or examinations conducted on [] 11 Huffington cited Bradgon v. Malone, 425 F. Supp. 2d 1, 4, 7 (D.D.C. 2006), as a case in which the United States District Court for the District of Columbia rejected Agent Malone’s claim of absolute immunity when he “withheld exculpatory evidence and fabricated evidence during his investigation,” which, according to Huffington, resulted in the defendant’s wrongful conviction.

Huffington also cited an article from The Washington Post dated March 14, 2010, which, he asserted, stated that Agent Malone’s inaccurate hair analysis resulted in a wrongful conviction in another case. - 13 - Huffington’s body or any of his clothing and/or belongings.” In a letter dated January 31, 2011, in response to the request, Cassilly denied having any discoverable materials and advised that he was aware that “the State was always required to furnish the defense with the results of all tests that were performed by the State[.]” On January 28, 2011, D. Christian Hassell, Ph.D., the Director of the FBI Laboratory, wrote to Cassilly concerning the comparative bullet lead analysis in Huffington’s case. In the letter, Dr. Hassell stated that the laboratory reviewed the examiner’s testimony regarding the comparative bullet lead analysis in Huffington’s case and that the testimony was proper. On February 23, 2011, Cassilly supplemented the State’s answer to the petition with Dr. Hassell’s letter, asserting that the letter was “relevant to the issues raised[.]” The hearing judge found “that the Robertson Report was similarly relevant to the issues raised.” On March 30, 2011, the circuit court held a hearing on the petition for a writ of actual innocence. At the hearing, Cassilly stated: Now let me just talk a little bit about some of the scientific evidence here, all right?

Because, again, they’re completely mischaracterizing what was said. Michael Malone, there was an FBI investigation about Mr. Malone’s credibility and that did come out and we did receive a letter from the FBI indicating that they had reviewed Malone’s testimony in this case and that they concluded that his testimony was appropriate, that he did not overstate the case. Sim, similar letter to the one that you got with respect to the bullet, to the bullet and lead analysis. Unfortunately I, given the length of time was not able to locate that letter.

But that’s the same kind of letter that we got with respect to Mr. Malone.[12] 12 The transcript of the March 30, 2011 hearing demonstrates that, when addressing the circuit court, after making the statement above, Cassilly stated: “With respect to, and, and although Malone subsequently was found to have perjured himself, there’s no, there’s - 14 - The hearing judge found that Cassilly’s statements to the circuit court at the hearing “were knowingly and intentionally false” as [t]he Robertson Report concluded that: (1) [] Robertson was unable to determine whether Agent Malone performed the appropriate tests in a scientifically acceptable manner; (2) the results of Agent Malone’s examination were not supported by or adequately documented in his bench notes; (3) Agent Malone’s testimony was consistent with his report but inconsistent with his bench notes; (4) Agent Malone matched or eliminated some hair without describing the microscopic characteristics observed in the evidence samples and control samples; and (5) Agent Malone deemed some samples unsuitable for comparison without providing a reason. The hearing judge specifically found that Cassilly’s “representation that [] Thompson’s letter was similar to Dr. Hassell’s letter [was] false and misleading.” At the conclusion of the hearing on the petition for a writ of actual innocence, the circuit court directed Cassilly to determine whether the FBI or State law enforcement laboratories could conduct DNA analysis of the hairs that Agent Malone had identified as a match to Huffington. Approximately one month later, on May 2, 2011, the circuit court wrote to Cassilly and Huffington’s counsel and instructed Cassilly to advise by June 3, 2011 of the possibility of obtaining DNA testing. In the meantime, on April 5, 2011, Huffington’s counsel wrote to Cassilly requesting a copy of the letter from the FBI that Cassilly had referenced at the hearing on the petition for a writ of actual innocence.

Cassilly responded by e-mail the same day, no evidence today that anything that he said in this trial or that subsequent comparison of the hairs that he made in this trial have been shown to be incorrect.” The hearing judge found that this was a knowingly false statement of fact and concluded that Cassilly violated Rule 3.3(a)(1) in making the statement to the circuit court. - 15 - stating that if he “could have found it [he] would have had it in Frederick County.” Cassilly did not provide any additional information about the letter. On November 1, 2011, Spencer S. Hsu, a reporter for The Washington Post, contacted Huffington’s counsel and provided documents that he had received from the FBI and the DOJ in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The documents that Hsu provided included the July 18, 1997 memorandum of Jabloner, Thompson’s October 21, 1999 letter, and the Robertson Report. On November 14, 2011, Huffington filed a “Supplemental Memorandum Presenting Additional Newly Discovered Evidence[,]” advising that, “[u]ntil only a few days ago, Huffington and his counsel were completely unaware that the FBI had assessed Agent Malone’s testimony and analysis in his case” and asserting that the State had withheld the evidence for over a decade.

In response to the circuit court’s May 2, 2011 directive, Cassilly advised that the FBI could perform DNA testing on the hair samples. On March 27, 2013, the FBI issued a DNA report concluding that Huffington was excluded as the source of the hair at issue. On May 1, 2013, the circuit court issued a memorandum opinion and order granting the petition for a writ of actual innocence and ordering a new trial. In the opinion, the circuit court stated that the State had “used Agent Malone’s testimony as the key piece of evidence to connect [Huffington] to the murder of Diane Becker.” The circuit court determined that the Robertson Report was “pertinent and highly relevant,” but that the DNA test results rendered moot the need for the court to discuss Agent Malone’s testimony.

The State appealed, and the case was stayed pending the outcome of the appeal. - 16 - The 2014 DOJ Letters On July 28, 2014, Norman Wong, Special Counsel to the DOJ, wrote to Richard D. Fritz, the State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County, concerning Huffington’s case.13 In the letter, in a section titled “Error Identified in this Matter[,]” Wong detailed errors found in Agent Malone’s testimony in Huffington’s case, stating: We have determined that microscopic hair comparison analysis testimony or laboratory report presented in this case included statements that exceeded the limits of science and were, therefore, invalid: (1) the examiner stated or implied that the evidentiary hair could be associated with a specific individual to the exclusion of all others - this type of testimony exceeds the limits of the science; (2) the examiner assigned to the positive association a statistical weight or probability or provided a likelihood or rareness of the positive association that could lead the jury to believe that valid statistical weight can be assigned to a microscopic hair association - this type of testimony exceeded the limits of the science; or (3) the examiner cites the number of cases or hair analyses worked in the laboratory and the number of samples from different individuals that could not be distinguished from one another as a predictive value to bolster the conclusion that a hair belongs to a specific individual - this type of testimony exceeded the limits of the science. With the letter, Wong enclosed the following documents: (1) the FBI Microscopic Hair Comparison Analysis Review Evaluation Form on which the FBI relied; (2) a memorandum to the Innocence Project; (3) a response from the Innocence Project agreeing with the FBI analysis; (4) Agent Malone’s original report; and (5) Agent Malone’s testimony from the November 1983 trial. On the same date, Wong sent an identical letter to Fritz regarding Kanaras’s case with similar documentation. On July 30, 2014, Fritz forwarded the 2014 DOJ letters to Cassilly.

The hearing 13 The hearing judge pointed out that it is unclear why the DOJ contacted Fritz as neither Huffington’s nor Kanaras’s trial had occurred in St. Mary’s County. - 17 - judge found that Cassilly maintained the letters in the State’s file but that he had testified at the disciplinary hearing that he did not read them. Cassilly did not provide a copy of the 2014 DOJ letters to Huffington or his counsel. The hearing judge found that Cassilly “had a duty to disclose the letters, as they constituted both exculpatory and impeachment evidence.” Third Trial In 2016, the State dismissed its appeal and Huffington’s new trial was scheduled for April 3 through 14, 2017. On July 28, 2016, in preparation for trial, Huffington’s counsel wrote to Cassilly and requested any communications between the State and any law enforcement agency concerning Huffington, the case, or tests of Huffington’s person and/or clothing that tended to exculpate Huffington.

Cassilly did not produce the 2014 DOJ letters. The hearing judge found that the 2014 DOJ letters, “in addition to meeting the disclosure requirements of [Maryland] Rule 4-263, were responsive to [] Huffington’s discovery request.” On August 18, 2016, the State filed supplemental discovery stating that it had no exculpatory or mitigating evidence. The hearing judge found that Cassilly “knowingly and intentionally failed to produce the 2014 [DOJ] letters.” The hearing judge explained: Maryland Rule 4-263(d)(5) and (d)(6) required the State to produce any evidence including exculpatory and impeachment evidence. Maryland Rule 4-263(d)(8) required the State to produce the reports of each expert consulted by the State’s Attorney in connection with the case.

This Court finds that the review of Agent Malone’s testimony contained in the 2014 [DOJ] letters was an expert report made in connection with the action. At the disciplinary hearing, Cassilly provided several reasons as to why he did not - 18 - turn over the 2014 DOJ letters: (1) the letters were irrelevant; (2) the letters were not impeachment evidence because he did not intend to call Agent Malone as a witness at the new trial; (3) the DOJ had indicated that the letters would be sent to defense counsel; and (4) the letters were not responsive to the discovery requests. The hearing judge rejected each of these reasons and found that the 2014 DOJ letters “constituted both exculpatory and impeachment evidence.” On September 9, 2016, Huffington’s counsel wrote to Cassilly and requested any communications between the State and the DOJ and/or the Innocence Project relating to the case. On September 13, 2016, Cassilly responded: “You already have in your files the reports of all expert examinations conducted in connection with this case.

Again all of the FBI reports are contained in the Sheriff’s files.” The 2014 DOJ letters were not included in the Sheriff’s files. On September 27, 2016, Huffington filed a motion to compel discovery. On September 28, 2016, with the Honorable Theresa M. Adams presiding, the circuit court conducted a pretrial conference. During the conference, Huffington’s counsel stated that, on “October 21st, 1999, a senior attorney at the [DOJ] sent a letter to [] Cassilly informing him that FBI agent Michael Malone had testified falsely in [] Huffington’s case.” In response, Cassilly stated: No. They never said that.

That has been a patent lie stated by the Defense every time this has come up. There is a written opinion from the [DOJ] saying that they reviewed Malone’s testimony in this case and found nothing wrong. Malone subsequently, ten years after this case, was found ti [sic] -- testified falsely in other cases. But there is a written letter which the Defense has which stated that Malone’s testimony in this case was within professional limit. - 19 - The hearing judge found that Cassilly’s “statements to Judge Adams were knowingly and intentionally false” as “[t]he Robertson Report identified problems with Agent Malone’s testimony, and the 2014 [DOJ] letters concluded that the testimony exceeded the limits of science.” On February 7, 2017, Huffington’s counsel wrote to Cassilly requesting that Cassilly produce all Brady14 material and “[a]ny correspondence with law enforcement that has not been disclosed regarding forensic testing.” On February 15, 2017, Cassilly responded that he was not aware of any correspondence that had not already been furnished to the defense and stated that he had produced all discoverable information.

The hearing judge found that, as of February 15, 2017, Cassilly had not produced the 2014 DOJ letters “despite the fact that the letters were exculpatory and constituted impeachment evidence.” On February 27, 2017, Huffington filed a “Motion to Compel Identification of All Lost or Destroyed Evidence.” On March 7, 2017, the circuit court conducted a hearing on the motion. At the hearing, the circuit court asked Cassilly if he had any exculpatory evidence that had not been turned over. Cassilly responded that the FBI sent two letters concerning Agent Malone that ultimately concluded that Agent Malone had testified properly and did not do anything wrong in Huffington’s case. The hearing judge found that Cassilly “knowingly and intentionally misrepresented to the [circuit c]ourt that the FBI Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) “and its progeny guarantee to a criminal 14 defendant who stands trial the right to receive material exculpatory and impeachment evidence in the possession of the State.” Canales-Yanez v. State, 472 Md. 132 , 158, 244 A.3d 1096 , 1111 (2021) (cleaned up). - 20 - [had] concluded that they did not find Agent Malone did anything wrong in [] Huffington’s case.” On November 9, 2017, Huffington entered Alford pleas15 to two counts of first- degree murder, one count of armed robbery, and one count of burglary.

The plea agreement provided that Huffington would receive two concurrent life sentences with all but time served (11,752 days) suspended. As part of the plea agreement, Huffington agreed to waive his appeal and postconviction rights and consented to the destruction of evidence in his case. Bar Counsel’s Investigation On November 13, 2018, Huffington filed with Bar Counsel a complaint against Cassilly. On November 29, 2018, Bar Counsel wrote to Cassilly and enclosed a copy of the complaint.

On December 3, 2018, Cassilly responded that he did not withhold any exculpatory evidence in Huffington’s case. On January 29, 2019, Bar Counsel requested that Cassilly address his failure to provide Huffington’s counsel with materials received from the DOJ. Cassilly responded that “[a] review of the agent’s testimony in this case 15 An Alford plea, derived from North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25 (1970), is a plea in which the individual retains the right to appellate review of evidence subject to a suppression motion but avoids going through the time and expense of a full trial. By pleading not guilty and agreeing to the proffer of stipulated evidence or an agreed statement of facts, an individual, like with a guilty plea, waives a jury trial and the right to confront witnesses but retains appellate review of the suppression decision.

Rogers v. State, 468 Md. 1 , 44 n.7, 226 A.3d 261 , 287 n.7 (2020), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 141 S. Ct. 1052 (2021) (cleaned up). - 21 - found that he had not overstated his findings.” On September 11, 2019, Bar Counsel wrote to Cassilly to schedule a date to take a statement under oath and, on September 17, 2019, Bar Counsel issued a subpoena pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-712, ordering Cassilly to appear at the Office of Bar Counsel on October 1, 2019 to respond under oath to questions. Cassilly appeared on that date but refused to take the oath. At the disciplinary hearing, Cassilly acknowledged that he refused to take the oath, stating: “I said you are not asking me about stuff from 20 years ago and then criticizing me or trying to pull me up on some sort of perjury charge because I couldn’t remember accurately what we were talking about from 20 years ago.” Aggravating and Mitigating Factors The hearing judge did not find any aggravating factors. The hearing judge found as mitigating factors that Cassilly has no prior attorney discipline and “that he generally enjoys a positive reputation in the legal community.” STANDARD OF REVIEW In an attorney discipline proceeding, this Court reviews for clear error a hearing judge’s findings of fact and reviews without deference a hearing judge’s conclusions of law.

See Md. R. 19-740(b)(1) and (b)(2)(B); Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Slate, 457 Md. 610, 626 , 180 A.3d 134, 144 (2018). This Court determines whether clear and convincing evidence establishes that a lawyer violated a Rule of Professional Conduct. See Md. R. 19-727(c). - 22 - DISCUSSION (A) Doctrine of Laches Cassilly contends that there was an “inordinate delay” in Huffington’s filing of the complaint and in Bar Counsel’s filing of the Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action that “engendered a due process violation” and essentially argues that the doctrine of laches should bar the attorney discipline proceeding. Specifically, Cassilly asserts that Huffington waited seven-and-a-half years after learning of the Robertson Report before filing a complaint against him and that Bar Counsel waited another year-and-a-half before filing the Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action, which in his view constituted an inordinate delay.

Cassilly argues that due to the delay both he and the Honorable Joseph F. Murphy, whom he called as an expert witness (Judge Murphy had also served as Kanaras’s defense attorney at trial), had trouble recalling the circumstances surrounding receipt of the Robertson Report and could only testify at the disciplinary hearing “as to vague impressions[.]” According to Cassilly, this placed him at a “disadvantage in providing a response utilizing Judge Murphy’s recollection of receiving the Robertson report.” We are not persuaded by Cassilly’s contentions and conclude that the doctrine of laches is inapplicable in this attorney discipline proceeding. We explain. “The doctrine of laches, which is both an affirmative defense and an equitable defense, applies where there is an unreasonable delay in the assertion of one party’s rights and that delay results in prejudice to the opposing party.” Jones v. State, 445 Md. 324, 329 , 126 A.3d 1162, 1165 (2015) (citation omitted). The purpose of laches is to protect “against stale claims[.]” State Ctr., LLC v. Lexington Charles Ltd. P’ship, 438 Md. 451 , - 23 - 585, 92 A.3d 400, 480 (2014) (cleaned up). In applying the doctrine of laches, “generally, we must analyze whether, (1) in the context of an equitable claim, (2) there was an unreasonable delay in the filing and, if so, (3) whether there was any prejudice[,]” which “is generally held to be anything that places the defendant in a less favorable position.” Id. at 586 , 92 A.3d at 481 (cleaned up).

Whether laches applies depends on an evaluation of the facts and circumstances of a particular case. See id. at 590 , 92 A.3d at 483 . Importantly, “[t]he passage of time, alone, does not constitute laches but is simply one of the many circumstances from which a determination of what constitutes an unreasonable and unjustifiable delay may be made.” Id. at 590 , 92 A.3d at 483 (cleaned up). Our jurisprudence is replete with cases in which we have expressed doubt about the applicability of the doctrine of laches to attorney discipline proceedings and found the elements of the defense not to have been satisfied.

In Anne Arundel Cty. Bar Ass’n, Inc. v. Collins, 272 Md. 578, 581-82, 583, 585 , 325 A.2d 724, 726, 727, 728-29 (1974), this Court rejected an attorney’s contention that disciplinary proceedings against him were barred by laches and the general three-year statute of limitations for most civil claims. The attorney was alleged to have bribed, in his position as attorney for the Board of License Commissioners, two members of the Board to influence their decisions concerning applications for alcoholic beverage licenses. See id. at 579 , 325 A.2d at 725 .

The attorney contended that disciplinary proceedings against him were barred by the statute of limitations and laches because of the lapse of almost four years between his indictment and the filing of the grievance petition. See id. at 581-82 , 325 A.2d at 726-27 . We held that the general three-year statute of limitations “does not apply to disciplinary proceedings - 24 - brought against members of the Bar.” Id. at 583 , 325 A.2d at 727 . We explained that courts in other jurisdictions had uniformly concluded as much “primarily because a disciplinary proceeding is neither an action at law, nor a criminal prosecution.” Id. at 582 , 325 A.2d at 727 (citations omitted).

In an attorney discipline case, the inquiry is in the nature of an investigation by the court into the conduct of one of its own officers, and is not the trial of an action at law, as the order which is entered is only an exercise of the disciplinary jurisdiction which a court has over [i]ts officers. Id. at 582-83 , 325 A.2d at 727 (citation omitted). We rejected the attorney’s defense of laches—“assuming without deciding its applicability to disciplinary proceedings”—because the attorney had not produced any “evidence of disadvantage or prejudice which he claim[ed] to have suffered because of th[e] delay.” Id. at 585 , 325 A.2d at 728-29 (internal quotation marks omitted). In addition to failing to demonstrate disadvantage or prejudice, we noted that the attorney had “cited no cases in which disciplinary proceedings against an attorney ha[d] been dismissed upon the ground of laches.” Id. at 583 , 325 A.2d at 728 .

We quoted with approval the Supreme Court of Oregon’s discussion concerning laches in In Re Weinstein, 459 P.2d 548, 549 (Or. 1969), cert. denied, 398 U.S. 903 (1970), a case in which that Court “held that a bar association delay of twenty-seven months did not justify dismissal”: It is unnecessary to define in this case the proper remedy for vexatious and unreasonable delay on the part of the Bar. None has been shown in this case. It ought to be made clear, however, that the primary purpose of professional disciplinary proceedings is to protect the public. The punishment of an offending member of the profession is indeed a serious matter, but it is incidental to the protection of the public.

If the conduct of a member of the Bar disqualifies him from the practice of law, it would not be in the public - 25 - interest to dismiss the disciplinary proceedings for no reason other than the Bar’s failure to prosecute them with the proper dispatch. Collins, 272 Md. at 584 , 325 A.2d at 728 (emphasis omitted). Less than a year after Collins, in Bar Ass’n of Baltimore City v. Posner, 275 Md. 250, 255 , 339 A.2d 657, 660 (1975), we concluded that an attorney’s “attempt to raise limitations or laches as a defense overlook[ed] the proceeding’s purpose, that of protecting the public.” (Citations omitted). We stated that the purpose of a disciplinary proceeding is “to protect the public by determining a lawyer’s fitness to practice law” and that the attorney “was entitled to [] a full and fair hearing, which he had.” Id. at 255 , 339 A.2d at 660 (citations omitted).

In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Engerman, 289 Md. 330, 346 , 424 A.2d 362, 370 (1981) (per curiam), although an attorney correctly asserted “that former Bar Counsel had knowledge of all the essential facts alleged in” two parts of the petition for disciplinary action but failed to advise the attorney of the allegations contained in one part of the petition until approximately two-and-a-half years later, we concluded that the doctrine of laches was not a defense that the attorney could successfully invoke and did not apply in the attorney discipline proceeding. We explained that we had “clearly stated” our view on the matter in Collins and we again favorably quoted the Supreme Court of Oregon’s opinion in Weinstein, 459 P.2d at 549 . Engerman, 289 Md. at 346 , 424 A.2d at 370 . Citing Posner, 275 Md. at 255 , 339 A.2d at 660 , we concluded: “Since the purpose of this proceeding[] is solely to protect the public by determining a lawyer’s fitness to practice law, the [attorney] is entitled only to a full and fair hearing, not anything more.” Engerman, 289 Md. at 346 , - 26 - 424 A.2d at 370 .

We determined that, in any event, the attorney had failed to demonstrate any prejudice from any delay in the commencement of disciplinary proceedings. See id. at 346 , 424 A.2d at 370 . Accordingly, we upheld the hearing judge’s determination that the doctrine of laches did not apply. See id. at 347-48 , 424 A.2d at 371 .

In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Kahn, 290 Md. 654, 684 , 431 A.2d 1336, 1352 (1981), we similarly rejected an attorney’s defense of laches due to the lack of prejudice to the attorney caused by the delay in the filing of a petition for disciplinary action. The attorney moved to dismiss the attorney grievance proceeding on the ground that Bar Counsel was barred by laches from proceeding because Bar Counsel was notified that the Review Board of the Attorney Grievance Commission had directed that charges be filed against the attorney nearly two years before Bar Counsel actually filed the petition. See id. at 677 , 431 A.2d at 1348 . According to the attorney, the nearly two-year delay was unreasonable and unjustifiable and resulted in prejudice to him.

See id. at 677 , 431 A.2d at 1348 . The hearing judge denied the motion to dismiss, assuming without deciding that laches applied to attorney discipline proceedings and determining that there was “no substantial evidence” that the attorney had “been prejudiced by the delay in prosecuting the [] charges.” Id. at 677-78 , 431 A.2d at 1349 . Before us, the attorney contended that the hearing judge erred in determining that the defense of laches was inapplicable. See id. at 678 , 431 A.2d at 1349 .

We rejected the attorney’s contention, explaining: While the delay in [the attorney]’s case was gross and inexcusable—a fact readily acknowledged by newly appointed Bar Counsel during oral argument on the exceptions—we agree with [the hearing judge] that the evidence does not show that [the attorney] was prejudiced by the delay. Because the purpose of disciplinary action against an attorney is to protect the public, - 27 - dismissal of the disciplinary petition for the sole reason that the Attorney Grievance Commission failed to proceed with the proper dispatch is manifestly unwarranted. Id. at 684 , 431 A.2d at 1352 (citations omitted). In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Owrutsky, 322 Md. 334, 339-40 , 587 A.2d 511, 513-14 (1991), we rejected an attorney’s contention that the disciplinary proceeding be dismissed on the ground of laches.

The attorney represented a husband and wife in various business and personal matters, including preparing a will for the husband in August 1975, which identified the husband’s daughter and the attorney as co-personal representatives, and supervising the execution by the wife of a codicil to her will. See id. at 336-37 , 587 A.2d at 512 . In April 1984, approximately eight years after the husband died and approximately seven years after the wife died, the daughter filed a complaint against the attorney with the Attorney Grievance Commission. See id. at 337-38 , 587 A.2d at 512-13 .

The Office of Bar Counsel conducted an investigation and proceedings occurred before the Inquiry Panel and the Review Board of the Attorney Grievance Commission. See id. at 338 , 587 A.2d at 513 . In December 1988, Bar Counsel filed the petition in this Court and we referred the matter to a hearing judge. See id. at 338 , 587 A.2d at 513 .

Before the hearing judge, the attorney moved to dismiss the petition, contending that he had been prejudiced by an inordinate delay in the filing of charges against him. See id. at 338-39 , 587 A.2d at 513 . In considering the attorney’s motion to dismiss on the ground of laches, we noted that we had rejected a similar contention in Collins and quoted approvingly from the Supreme Court of Oregon’s statement in Weinstein in that case. See Owrutsky, 322 Md. - 28 - at 339, 587 A.2d at 513 .

We reiterated that, “because the purpose of disciplinary action against an attorney is to protect the public, dismissal of the disciplinary petition for the sole reason that the Attorney Grievance Commission failed to proceed with the proper dispatch is manifestly unwarranted.” Id. at 340 , 587 A.2d at 513 (quoting Kahn, 290 Md. at 684 , 431 A.2d at 1352 ) (cleaned up). We observed that the attorney contended that he was prejudiced because his bookkeeper, who handled many of the transactions in connection with the husband’s and wife’s estates, had died. See Owrutsky, 322 Md. at 340 , 587 A.2d at 514 . We rejected the attorney’s contention and instead agreed with the hearing judge that the attorney had not been prejudiced by the delay in filing charges.

See id. at 340 , 587 A.2d at 514 . We explained that Bar Counsel had pointed out that the bookkeeper had previously given recorded testimony before the Inquiry Panel, while under oath and subject to cross-examination, and that the bookkeeper’s testimony would be admissible under the “prior testimony” exception to the rule against hearsay. See id. at 340 , 587 A.2d at 514 . As such, we denied the attorney’s motion to dismiss.

See id. at 340 , 587 A.2d at 514 . In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Goldsborough, 330 Md. 342, 356-58, 348 , 624 A.2d 503, 509-10, 505 (1993), we rejected an attorney’s attempt to raise the defense of laches in an attorney discipline proceeding involving incidents of sexual assault and harassment. In 1989, a woman, who had been a client, alleged incidents in the late 1970s and filed a complaint against the attorney with the Attorney Grievance Commission. See id. at 357 n.5, 347-48, 624 A.2d at 510 n.5, 505.

During the investigation of the complaint, the Commission’s investigators learned of allegations that the attorney had sexually assaulted and harassed two other women, one who had been his client in 1984 and one who - 29 - had been his administrative assistant from 1986 to 1987. See id. at 348-49 , 624 A.2d at 505-06 . In considering the attorney’s laches argument, we stated that we had “previously expressed doubt about the applicability of the laches defense in attorney grievance proceedings” and that “[t]his doubt springs from our concern for the underlying purpose of the Attorney Grievance process.” Id. at 356 , 624 A.2d at 510 (citing Engerman, 289 Md. at 346 , 424 A.2d at 370 ; Collins, 272 Md. at 583 , 325 A.2d at 728 ). We noted that the issue in Engerman and Collins “was the disciplinary authorities’ delay in pursuing action against an attorney once a complaint was brought, rather than a complainant’s delay in bringing the complaint[,]” but explained: Nonetheless, the Court’s prior comments are especially applicable to this case.

While we encourage and expect members of the public to promptly pursue attorney grievance actions when they are warranted, the mere failure of a complainant to promptly file a complaint should not necessarily foreclose disciplinary action against the attorney. In this case, to the extent that the investigation sparked by the complaint revealed a pattern of conduct stretching from [one client]’s experience in the late 1970s to [the attorney’s administrative assistant]’s as late as 1987, we believe it was appropriate to pursue both an investigation and the filing of disciplinary charges. Goldsborough, 330 Md. at 357 , 624 A.2d at 510 (footnote omitted). In addition, we were unpersuaded by the attorney’s reliance on a case in which this Court had “adopted the Attorney Grievance Commission’s recommendation of a reprimand over suspension or disbarment because ‘much water had gone over the dam’ since the violations complained of had occurred.” Id. at 357-58 , 624 A.2d at 510 (cleaned up).

We explained that reliance on the case was misplaced, as it “addressed the passage of time only as a mitigating circumstance affecting the Court’s sanction” and “did not suggest that the passage of time - 30 - should in any way affect whether the violation itself should be found[.]” Id. at 358 , 624 A.2d at 510 . In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Braskey, 378 Md. 425, 441-43 , 836 A.2d 605, 615-16 (2003), we denied an attorney’s motion to dismiss a disciplinary proceeding, explaining: There is no statute of limitations in an attorney disciplinary proceeding and mere delay does not warrant dismissal. We have often noted that the purpose of attorney discipline proceedings is to protect the public by determining a lawyer’s fitness to practice law, and that an attorney is entitled only to notice of the charges, and a full and fair hearing, not anything more. A mere delay in disciplinary proceedings is not a basis for dismissal, absent a showing of prejudice. . . .

Even in a case where we found the delay gross and inexcusable, we noted that the attorney was not prejudiced by the delay and that dismissal for the sole reason that the Attorney Grievance Commission failed to proceed with the proper dispatch is manifestly unwarranted. The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia stated that “an undue delay in prosecution is not in itself a proper ground for dismissal of charges of attorney misconduct.” [Matter of] Williams, 513 A.2d 793, 796 (D.C.[ ]1986). . . . This is a view shared by other courts in addressing delay in attorney disciplinary proceedings. (Cleaned up).

We stated, though, that delay is not irrelevant, because “[i]f an attorney’s ability to present a defense is substantially impaired, and an attorney can show actual prejudice to the defense, there might be a due process violation.” Braskey, 378 Md. at 444 , 836 A.2d at 617 (citations omitted). We concluded, however, that the attorney had not demonstrated such prejudice. Id. at 444 , 836 A.2d at 617 . More recently, in Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Penn, 431 Md. 320, 334, 336, 323 , 65 A.3d 125, 134-35, 127 (2013), we overruled an attorney’s exception that his defense was adversely impacted by a delay in the disciplinary proceedings, during which - 31 - time the attorney’s former employer destroyed various files, and that as a result the case should be dismissed.

We explained that “prejudice is the gravamen for any dismissal motion to be favorably entertained by this Court in any attorney grievance action; a claim of delay must be accompanied by a showing of prejudice.” Id. at 335 , 65 A.3d at 134 . We ultimately agreed with the hearing judge that the files at issue would not have negated the attorney’s misconduct, explaining that the attorney “testified at the hearing in accordance with his proffer before us about what the documents would have proven. [The hearing judge] heard [the attorney]’s testimony and did not find it to be compelling to negate his misconduct, so that the absence of the documents could not be prejudicial.” Id. at 336 , 65 A.3d at 135 . As is readily apparent, we have on numerous occasions over almost the past five decades “expressed doubt about the applicability of the laches defense in attorney grievance proceedings” given the underlying purpose of attorney discipline proceedings, Goldsborough, 330 Md. at 356 , 624 A.2d at 510 (citations omitted), which “is to protect the public[,]” Engerman, 289 Md. at 346 , 424 A.2d at 370 (citation omitted). We continue to express strong reservation as to the applicability of the doctrine of laches in attorney discipline proceedings and now conclude that, with the possible exception of cases involving both extraordinary circumstances of delay and actual prejudice resulting in a clear due process violation, applying the doctrine of laches to attorney discipline proceedings would not be consistent with the goal of such proceedings, which is to protect the public.

In this case, we determine that the record fails to demonstrate the existence of the type of unreasonable delay and prejudice generally prohibited by the doctrine of laches, - 32 - let alone the type of extraordinary delay and prejudice that would be necessary to affect the ability of an attorney disciplinary case to proceed. Here, there was no unreasonable delay on Bar Counsel’s part in filing the Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action against Cassilly. On November 13, 2018, Huffington filed a complaint against Cassilly with Bar Counsel, and less than two years later, on September 8, 2020, Bar Counsel filed the petition in this Court. During the intervening time, as the hearing judge found, Bar Counsel conducted an investigation of the complaint.

Bar Counsel’s investigation included requesting responses from Cassilly to the complaint, interviewing witnesses, obtaining and reviewing documents, seeking to take Cassilly’s statement under oath, presenting the case to the Attorney Grievance Commission, and preparing the Petition for Disciplinary and Remedial Action. At the disciplinary hearing, Bar Counsel called six witnesses, including an expert witness, and introduced over fifty exhibits into evidence. In our view, under the circumstances of the case, the approximately twenty-two-month period between the filing of the complaint by Huffington and the filing of the petition with this Court by Bar Counsel did not constitute an unreasonable delay. To be sure, as Cassilly points out, Huffington learned of the Robertson Report, when his counsel received a copy of the report from a reporter in November 2011, and did not file a complaint with Bar Counsel until seven years later in November 2018.

Certainly, any delay on Huffington’s part in filing a complaint cannot be attributed to Bar Counsel for the purpose of laches and Huffington’s delay in filing the complaint would not serve to preclude Bar Counsel from pursuing the matter. Huffington filed the complaint only one year after entering Alford pleas, being sentenced to time served, and concluding his - 33 - criminal case. In other words, Huffington acted promptly in filing the complaint once he was no longer in jeopardy of a criminal conviction. In any event, what we stated in Goldsborough, 330 Md. at 357 , 624 A.2d at 510 , would apply with equal force here: “While we encourage and expect members of the public to promptly pursue attorney grievance actions when they are warranted, the mere failure of a complainant to promptly file a complaint should not necessarily foreclose disciplinary action against the attorney.” In this case, just as in Goldsborough, id. at 357 , 624 A.2d at 510 , although Huffington, the complainant, filed a complaint years after the basis for the complaint became known to him, it was appropriate for Bar Counsel to pursue both an investigation and the filing of disciplinary charges.

In addition, even if there had been unreasonable or extraordinary delay in Bar Counsel’s bringing the petition, Cassilly would not prevail based on the defense of laches because he has not demonstrated that he was prejudiced by the delay. See Braskey, 378 Md. at 444 , 836 A.2d at 617 . In his exceptions, the only form of prejudice alleged by Cassilly is faulty memory on his and Judge Murphy’s part concerning “the particulars of having received the Robertson [R]eport.” Without more, this bare allegation does not come close to demonstrating actual prejudice caused by any delay in the filing of the complaint or the petition.16 In addition, the faulty memory that Cassilly alleges could just as easily 16 The allegation that Cassilly was somehow prejudiced by Judge Murphy being unable to fully recollect his receipt of the Robertson Report is unpersuasive. Judge Murphy was called by Cassilly at the disciplinary hearing and was accepted as an expert witness in the areas of “criminal law and duty to disclose.” As an expert witness, Judge Murphy would have reviewed documents or information related to the case and been permitted to - 34 - be attributed to the existence of the twelve-year delay between the time that Cassilly received the Robertson Report from Thompson in October 1999 and the point at which Huffington’s counsel finally received a copy of the report in November 2011 from a reporter, i.e., the period of time during which Cassilly himself failed to disclose the report.

In short, we conclude that Cassilly has not demonstrated prejudice and the defense of laches—even if the doctrine were generally applicable to Attorney Grievance Commission cases—is not satisfied here. Moreover, the mitigating factor of a delay in the attorney discipline proceeding exists to address the circumstances for which Cassilly attempts to invoke laches. See Slate, 457 Md. at 647 , 180 A.3d at 156 . In Goldsborough, 330 Md. at 358 , 624 A.2d at 510 , we render an opinion within the scope of his expertise.

For example, on direct examination, Cassilly’s counsel asked Judge Murphy: “As a result of the work that you did in this case and your understanding, do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of professional certainty whether [] Cassilly had a duty to disclose the information that came out subsequent to conviction about . . . Agent Malone?” The circumstance that Judge Murphy represented Kanaras and may have at some point independently received the Robertson Report and may or may not have recalled the circumstances of his receiving the report had no bearing on Judge Murphy’s testimony as an expert witness nor any relevance as to the issue of whether Cassilly was under a duty to disclose the report. Indeed, in response to Cassilly’s counsel’s question about the basis of Judge Murphy’s opinion that Cassilly had no such duty, Judge Murphy testified in part: The letter caught up with me somehow and at that time obviously I wasn’t representing [] Kanaras anymore and I can’t remember whether [] Kanaras had actually been released from Division of Corrections, but if he was still in the Division of Corrections he was represented by Bill Gately or Larry Nathans. I guess my practice would have been to turn the letter over to them.

But the information in the letter was really of no consequence to [] Kanaras’[s] case because it was [Agent] Malone’s testimony when he testified at Kanaras’[s] trial as well as at [] Huffington’s trial, [Agent] Malone’s testimony was consistent with [] Kanaras’[s] testimony. - 35 - stated that the passage of time between the misconduct at issue and institution of charges against an attorney may serve “as a mitigating circumstance affecting the Court’s sanction[,]” but does not “in any way affect whether the violation itself should be found[.]” In this case, the hearing judge did not find the mitigating factor of a delay in the attorney discipline proceeding and, tellingly, Cassilly has not raised an exception to the lack of such a finding. (B) Findings of Fact Bar Counsel does not except to any of the hearing judge’s findings of fact. Cassilly raises numerous exceptions but does not categorize any of the exceptions as being either to the hearing judge’s findings of fact or conclusions of law. The exceptions that Cassilly raises appear to concern, in part, both the hearing judge’s findings of fact and conclusions of law.

For example, Cassilly excepts to the hearing judge’s determinations: (1) that the Robertson Report and 2014 DOJ letters were exculpatory; (2) that the 2014 DOJ letters were required to be disclosed (Cassilly contends that the letters were in fact disclosed); (3) that the Robertson Report tended to negate Huffington’s guilt (Cassilly contends that the hearing judge “exaggerated the importance of [Agent] Malone to the State’s case” and that the criticisms of Malone’s testimony were not material); and (4) that “he deliberately misstated and attempted to mislead” the circuit court when he made statements to the court about the Robertson Report. Cassilly’s exceptions will be addressed below in our discussion of the conclusions of law, given that his exceptions to findings of fact and conclusions of law are intertwined. - 36 - (C) Conclusions of Law The hearing judge concluded that Cassilly violated Rules 3.3(a)(1), 3.4(a), 3.8(d), 8.4(c), 8.4(d), and 8.4(a), but did not violate Rule 8.1(b). Cassilly generically contends that his actions did not violate any of the Rules and “were not unethical.” Bar Counsel excepts to the hearing judge’s conclusion that Cassilly did not violate Rule 8.1(b). We overrule Cassilly’s exceptions, sustain Bar Counsel’s exception, and conclude that clear and convincing evidence demonstrates that Cassilly violated Rules 3.3(a)(1), 3.4(a), 3.8(d), 8.1(b), 8.4(c), 8.4(d), and 8.4(a).

Rule 3.3(a)(1) (Candor Toward the Tribunal) The hearing judge concluded that Cassilly “violated Rule 3.3(a)(1) by knowingly making false statements of fact to the court regarding the information contained in [] Thompson’s 1999 letter and the Robertson Report.” The hearing judge found that Cassilly made false statements on four separate occasions. First, the hearing judge found that Cassilly made a false statement on January 14, 2011, in the State’s response to the petition for a writ of actual innocence by stating (in writing) that “no evidence has been presented that the conclusion that examiner Malone rendered in court is not correct.” Second, the hearing judge found that Cassilly made a false statement on March 30, 2011 when, at a hearing in connection with the petition for a writ of actual innocence, Cassilly stated that “there’s no evidence today that anything that [Agent Malone] said in this trial or that subsequent comparison of the hairs that he made in this trial have been shown to be incorrect.” Next, the hearing judge found that Cassilly made a false statement on September 28, 2016, during the pretrial conference before Judge Adams, when he stated - 37 - that “[t]here is a written opinion from the DOJ saying that they reviewed Malone’s testimony in this case and found nothing wrong.” Finally, the hearing judge found that Cassilly made a false statement on March 7, 2017, when he advised Judge Adams that the FBI had concluded that Agent Malone “testified properly[.]” The hearing judge concluded that all four of the representations by Cassilly were knowingly and intentionally false. Although he does not specifically mention Rule 3.3(a)(1), Cassilly “takes exception to the finding that he deliberately misstated and attempted to mislead the [circuit c]ourt[] with respect to the contents of the [] Robertson [R]eport.” Cassilly contends that, when speaking at the first hearing, he was “recalling the gist of [a] report he had not seen for 11 years and of which he did not have a copy.” Cassilly argues that “his characterization of the report is a fair interpretation of a confusing, check-the-box unexplained document.” Cassilly asserts that Judge Murphy’s testimony about the Robertson Report was consistent with how he characterized the report in statements to the circuit court, which demonstrates that his statements about the Robertson Report were “fair[.]” Cassilly points out that Judge Adams testified that he is a person of integrity, and he contends that he had no motive to mislead the circuit court about the Robertson Report. We overrule the exception.

Rule 3.3(a)(1) provides that “[a]n attorney shall not knowingly[] make a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal or fail to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made to the tribunal by the attorney[.]” (Paragraph break omitted). The duty of candor “stems from the proposition that every court has the right to rely upon an attorney to assist it in ascertaining the truth of the case before it.” Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Hoerauf, 469 Md. 179, 211 , 229 A.3d 802, 821 (2020) (cleaned up). As such, - 38 - Rule 3.3(a)(1) “requires that an attorney be candid at all times with a tribunal” and an attorney violates Rule 3.3(a)(1) “when he or she knowingly provides a court with false information.” Id. at 211 , 229 A.3d at 821 (cleaned up). Moreover, “[a]n attorney does not need a selfish motive to violate [] Rule []3.3(a)(1).” Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Keating, 471 Md. 614, 649 , 243 A.3d 520, 541 (2020).

Similarly, in Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Steinhorn, 462 Md. 184, 197 , 198 A.3d 821, 828 (2018), we stated that a hearing judge’s findings of fact that an attorney did not intend to deceive the court and did not harm anyone in submitting false information to the court—“findings that Bar Counsel [did] not except[] to and [that] we thus adopt[ed]”—were “immaterial” to the analysis of whether the attorney had violated Rule 3.3(a)(1). Rather, “[w]hat matters for purposes of finding a[ Rule] 3.3(a)(1) violation is whether an attorney knows that the information he or she presents to the tribunal is incorrect.” Id. at 197 , 198 A.3d at 828 (citation omitted). In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Litman, 440 Md. 205, 217 , 101 A.3d 1050, 1057 (2014), we concluded that, among other misconduct, an attorney violated Rule 3.3(a) when the attorney “misrepresented intentionally facts and the law to both judicial and administrative tribunals[.]” We explained that, even if the attorney’s misconduct during his representation of his client “was an aberration in an otherwise competent and ethical legal career to that point,” as the attorney had claimed, the attorney nonetheless “engaged in the same course of conduct twice in his representation of [the client]: once before the federal court and again before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board.” Id. at 217 , 101 A.3d at 1057-58 . Moreover, even after being informed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection of the lack of basis for “the so-called factual - 39 - statements and legal arguments upon which he relied,” the attorney “took no measures to remedy the situation” and instead “either made deliberately the misrepresentations at issue or blinded himself willfully to the falsity of his contentions.” Id. at 217 , 101 A.3d at 1058 .

In this case, the hearing judge’s findings with respect to the falsity of the statements at issue are amply supported by the record, i.e., are not clearly erroneous, and clear and convincing evidence supports the conclusion that Cassilly violated Rule 3.3(a)(1). Cassilly made the first knowingly false statement when, on January 14, 2011, in the State’s response to the petition for a writ of actual innocence, he stated in writing that “[n]o evidence has been presented that the conclusion that examiner Malone rendered in court is not correct.” Next, on March 30, 2011, at a hearing in connection with the petition for a writ of actual innocence, Cassilly made a similar knowingly false statement when he advised the circuit court that “there’s no evidence today that anything that [Agent Malone] said in this trial or that subsequent comparison of the hairs that he made in this trial have been shown to be incorrect.” It is undisputed that, as the hearing judge found, Cassilly had received the Robertson Report at the time he responded to the petition for a writ of actual innocence, and the report “identified multiple issues with Agent Malone’s analysis.” Cassilly’s contention is not that he was unaware of the Robertson Report at the time that he made the statements but rather that he was unable to fully recall the content of the report and that his characterization of the report was not misleading. The record demonstrates otherwise. In a letter dated October 21, 1999, Thompson wrote to Cassilly concerning the results of the independent scientific review in Huffington’s case and enclosed a copy of the Robertson Report.

In addition to enclosing - 40 - the Robertson Report, in the letter, Thompson summarized the OIG’s findings concerning Agent Malone’s testimony in the Hastings case, including the conclusion that Agent Malone’s testimony was incorrect and misleading, that he had testified falsely regarding the tensile test, and that he had been criticized for testifying outside of his expertise and inaccurately concerning test results in the case. The Robertson Report directly pertained to Huffington’s case. In the report, Robertson indicated, by checking boxes in response to questions pertaining to Huffington’s case, that he was unable to determine whether Agent Malone had performed the appropriate tests in a scientifically acceptable manner and that Agent Malone’s examination results as set forth in the laboratory report were not supported or adequately documented in the bench notes. Robertson indicated that, although Agent Malone’s testimony was consistent with the laboratory report, his testimony was not consistent with bench notes.

Significantly, in the comments section of the report, Robertson unequivocally and plainly wrote: “There is insufficient documentation to determine if the hair comparison was performed in a scientifically acceptable manner.” Similarly, Robertson stated in no uncertain terms: The results are not adequately documented in the notes. The notes are not dated, are in pencil and have some erasures. Some hair were deemed unsuitable with no documented reason or explanation. The examiner uses abbreviations that are difficult to interpret.

Some questioned hair were matched or eliminated as coming from the known samples without characterization of the microscopic characteristics observed in these questioned or known hair. The technicians do not document the recovery of any hair from the questioned items. Robertson also explicitly stated that, “[i]n the 1982 transcript, the examiner testifies ‘I processed’, ‘I found’, ‘I examined’, ‘I removed’ when it[’]s more likely the technicians - 41 - processed and removed the questioned hair from the items.” In addition to having received the Robertson Report and Thompson’s October 21, 1999 letter, at the time that Cassilly responded to the petition for a writ of actual innocence and attended the hearing on the petition, he had already received Thompson’s June 18, 1997, letter enclosing a copy of the 1997 Report (issued by the OIG), the Tobin memorandum, an article from The Wall Street Journal dated April 16, 1997, a letter from Huffington’s attorney, Stewart, to the DOJ dated April 24, 1997, and Thompson’s June 18, 1997 reply to Stewart. And, Cassilly had spoken with Jabloner (an attorney in the Criminal Division of the DOJ) concerning potential next steps to be taken about the forensic evidence in Huffington’s case.

After their discussion, Jabloner wrote a memorandum to her file, stating among other things that Cassilly “decided to wait a while to see if the defense files any post-conviction motions in the case” and that “[h]e had originally requested that an FBI laboratory examiner retest the evidence, but reconsidered and decided to wait to see what the defense will do[.]” Put simply, when Cassilly wrote, in response to the petition for a writ of actual innocence, that there was no evidence that “the conclusion that examiner Malone rendered in court is not correct[,]” and advised the circuit court at a hearing in connection with the petition that there was no evidence that anything Agent Malone testified about at trial had been “shown to be incorrect,” he was not telling the truth. Cassilly knew that he had received the Robertson Report (as well as Thompson’s 1999 letter), which contained information that in no uncertain terms undermined the validity of Agent Malone’s testimony and the accuracy of his conclusions in Huffington’s case, and, in addition, - 42 - provided information that Agent Malone’s testimony had been incorrect and misleading in the Hastings case. Cassilly also knew that he had received the 1997 Report and the Tobin memorandum and conferred with Jabloner about the possibility of having the hair samples retested, and decided to wait to see if the defense filed postconviction motions. Yet, after the defense filed a petition for a writ of actual innocence, on two separate occasions, Cassilly advised the circuit court that there was no evidence that the conclusion that Agent Malone provided in court was not correct.

The hearing judge’s finding that Cassilly knew these statements to be false is well supported by the evidence. The Robertson Report alone constituted evidence that Agent Malone’s hair comparison and accompanying testimony may not have been correct. To be sure, when responding to the petition for a writ of actual innocence and at the hearing on the petition, as Cassilly contends, he was making statements to the circuit court about a document (the Robertson Report) that he had received over a decade earlier and had purportedly discarded. An attorney’s duty of candor and obligation to not knowingly make a false statement of fact to a tribunal, however, is not diminished or lessened as a result of the passage of time or because the attorney no longer retains possession of a key document.

We are unpersuaded by Cassilly’s contention that he did not knowingly make a false statement because he was simply “recalling the gist of” the Robertson Report when he indicated that there was no evidence that Agent Malone’s testimony had been incorrect. In other words, we are unpersuaded that Cassilly made false statements to the circuit court because he could not remember the content of the Robertson Report or because the report was confusing. Tellingly, in responding to the petition for a writ of actual innocence and - 43 - at the March 30, 2011 hearing, Cassilly never advised the circuit court or Huffington’s counsel of the Robertson Report or that he had received any document like it and that he was attempting to recall the gist of it. Rather than advising the circuit court that he had received a report questioning Agent Malone’s testimony in the case and he could not recall or was unsure if it contained information indicating that Agent Malone’s conclusion was incorrect and that he had not retained the document, if that was the case, Cassilly instead affirmatively falsely stated that there was no such evidence.

Next, as the hearing judge determined, Cassilly made another knowingly false statement on September 28, 2016, during the pretrial conference before Judge Adams, when he stated that the DOJ had reviewed Agent Malone’s testimony and in a written report found “nothing wrong.” Likewise, Cassilly made a knowingly false statement on March 7, 2017, when he advised Judge Adams that the FBI had concluded that Agent Malone “testified properly[.]” The record demonstrates that, by the time that Cassilly made these statements, not only had he previously received the Robertson Report and Thompson’s 1999 letter (both of which challenged the accuracy of Agent Malone’s testimony) as well as Thompson’s 1997 letter, the 1997 Report, and the Tobin memorandum, but in addition, Cassilly had received Wong’s 2014 DOJ letters, in which Wong specifically identified numerous errors in Agent Malone’s testimony in Huffington’s case and concluded that his testimony exceeded the bounds of science. Plainly, Cassilly knowingly made false statements of fact at the pretrial conference of September 28, 2016 when he stated that the DOJ had issued a written opinion “saying that they reviewed Malone’s testimony in this case and found nothing wrong[,]” and on - 44 - March 7, 2017, when he told Judge Adams that the FBI had concluded that Agent Malone “testified properly[.]” The Robertson Report, Thompson’s 1999 letter, and 2014 DOJ letters are documents that Cassilly had received and that blatantly contradict his assertions to the circuit court. The Robertson Report plainly identified problems with Agent Malone’s testimony and the 2014 DOJ letters went even further in identifying errors in Agent Malone’s testimony and hair comparison and concluded that his testimony exceeded the limits of science in numerous ways. We are not persuaded by Cassilly’s contention that his statements to the circuit court about the Robertson Report constituted “a fair interpretation of a confusing, check-the-box unexplained document.” A review of the Robertson Report leads to only one interpretation—that the accuracy of Agent Malone’s testimony and hair comparison analysis in Huffington’s case were directly called into question.

Even if the questions and checked boxes on one page of the report could be described as ambiguous—which they are not—in the comments section of the report, Robertson straightforwardly stated, among other things, that there was “insufficient documentation to determine if the hair comparison was performed in a scientifically acceptable manner[,]” and “[s]ome questioned hair were matched or eliminated as coming from the known samples without characterization of the microscopic characteristics observed in these questioned or known hair.” Certainly, as Judge Murphy testified, the Robertson Report did not explicitly state that Agent Malone’s testimony was incorrect, but there is simply no way in which Cassilly or anyone else reviewing the Robertson Report could interpret the report as providing no evidence that Agent Malone testified incorrectly. In addition, Cassilly’s contention that the Robertson - 45 - Report was “check-the-box” and was ambiguous or “confusing” is not consistent with his other assertion that, in making statements at issue to the circuit court, he was merely attempting to “recall[] the gist of” a document that he had received many years ago. On one hand, Cassilly argues that the report contained checked boxes providing ambiguous information that did not indicate that Agent Malone’s testimony was incorrect, and, on the other hand, he asserts that he could not recall the content of the report. Nor are we persuaded that Judge Murphy’s testimony concerning the Robertson Report is somehow dispositive of whether Cassilly knowingly made false statements of fact or compels a conclusion that Cassilly did not violate Rule 3.3(a)(1).

At the disciplinary hearing, Judge Murphy, who was accepted as an expert witness in the areas of criminal law and duty to disclose, opined that Cassilly was not obligated to disclose information that came out about Agent Malone after Huffington was convicted. With respect to the Robertson Report, Judge Murphy testified: It isn’t a situation in which they said [Agent] Malone admitted lying. The person who looked over [Agent] Malone’s work certainly criticized the way [Agent] Malone took notes. But my recollection of the document is that the person didn’t say he is wrong or the science is junk or anything like that. . . . [T]he document that I reviewed said essentially [Agent] Malone’s testimony was consistent with the lab analysis.

The testing that was done, that it was not properly documented. He wrote it in pencil, he didn’t date it, he made some erasures. It is not a situation in which Robertson, if he is the guy that wrote it, said he got it wrong. The way I read it, and I really can’t tell much here, but what he testified to was consistent with the lab tests, but he certainly did a sloppy job documenting his work. . . .

This is a review of an expert witness’s testimony and it again is not one of these situations where the information is the witness lied. The witness had no clue about what he was doing. The information supplied by the witness is incorrect. . . . Robertson himself as I recall didn’t say I don’t know whether he got it right or he got it wrong.

All he said was his testimony appears to be consistent with the lab tests, but he didn’t document it as well as he should have. - 46 - Contrary to Cassilly’s contention that Judge Murphy’s testimony about the Robertson Report is “almost word-for[-]word how [he] characterized the Robertson [R]eport in statements to the court[,]” Cassilly affirmatively represented to the circuit court that there was no evidence at all that Agent Malone rendered an incorrect conclusion and that the DOJ had reviewed Agent Malone’s testimony in the case and found nothing wrong. Judge Murphy did not testify as such. Judge Murphy’s testimony was essentially that the report (the Robertson Report) did not indicate that Agent Malone had admitted lying but rather indicated that Agent Malone’s testimony was consistent with the lab analysis/tests and that he did not document the lab tests as well as he should have in bench notes. Judge Murphy testified that the report did not explicitly state that Agent Malone got it wrong.

Based on his interpretation of the report, Judge Murphy opined that Cassilly was not required to disclose the Robertson Report. Significantly, Judge Murphy was not asked to render an opinion as to whether Cassilly knowingly made false statements to the circuit court in advising the court that there was no information indicating that Agent Malone’s testimony was not correct and in stating that the DOJ had advised that Agent Malone testified properly. In addition, the transcript of Judge Murphy’s testimony reveals that when he was asked whether he recalled reading the portion of the Robertson Report in which Robertson explicitly concluded that he was unable to determine whether Agent Malone performed the appropriate tests and in a scientifically appropriate manner and that Agent Malone’s testimony was inconsistent with the bench notes, Judge Murphy responded: “I really don’t. - 47 - I recall reading Robertson’s letter.” Judge Murphy was not asked whether those particular conclusions of Robertson were inconsistent with the statements that Cassilly made to the circuit court about the report. Cassilly’s statements to the circuit court about the Robertson Report do not mirror Judge Murphy’s testimony at the disciplinary hearing, and Judge Murphy was not asked to render an opinion as to whether Cassilly’s statements violated Rule 3.3(a)(1).

The Robertson Report and the 2014 DOJ letters speak for themselves and, along with other evidence, demonstrate that Cassilly knowingly made false statements of fact to the circuit court on four occasions. Nor are we persuaded that Judge Adams’s testimony compels the conclusion that Cassilly did not violate Rule 3.3(a)(1). On cross-examination, Deputy Bar Counsel asked Judge Adams whether she was aware that Cassilly was in possession of one of the 2014 DOJ letters when he represented to the circuit court that Agent Malone’s testimony was within professional limits. Judge Adams responded: “I don’t know that I was aware at the time. [] Cassilly’s representation to the Court was that he had received a report years before that.

His representation to the Court was that did not invalidate the agent’s testimony.” The record in this case demonstrates, though, that Cassilly did not simply represent or advise the circuit court (Judge Adams) that he had received a report that did not invalidate Agent Malone’s testimony. Rather, at the pretrial conference in 2016, Cassilly falsely stated that the DOJ had reviewed Agent Malone’s testimony in the case and found nothing wrong and, at a motions hearing in 2017, he falsely stated that the FBI had concluded that Agent Malone had testified properly and done nothing wrong in Huffington’s case. There is a vast difference between receiving a report with information that does not invalidate an - 48 - expert’s testimony and receiving a report that states an expert’s testimony had been reviewed and found to contain “nothing wrong” or to be “proper.” As the hearing judge found, Cassilly knew that the statements that he made to Judge Adams were false. That Judge Adams testified at the disciplinary hearing that she believes Cassilly to be “a man of integrity” and that Cassilly contends he had no motive to mislead the circuit court does not negate the conclusion that Cassilly violated Rule 3.3(a)(1).

See Keating, 471 Md. at 649 , 243 A.3d at 541 ; Steinhorn, 462 Md. at 197 , 198 A.3d at 828 . The circumstance that Cassilly has maintained a good reputation in the community or may have had no discernable motive (other than having Huffington’s convictions upheld) for making false statements to the circuit court is not dispositive of the charged rule violation. As we stated in Steinhorn, 462 Md. at 197 , 198 A.3d at 828 , “[w]hat matters for purposes of finding a[ Rule] 3.3(a)(1) violation is whether an attorney knows that the information he or she presents to the tribunal is incorrect.” (Citation omitted). Here, clear and convincing evidence supports the hearing judge’s conclusion that Cassilly violated Rule 3.3(a)(1) by knowingly making false statements of fact to the circuit court on four occasions.

Rule 3.4(a) (Fairness to Opposing Party and Counsel) The hearing judge concluded that Cassilly “violated Rule 3.4(a) when he disposed of the Robertson Report without maintaining a copy in the State’s file and then sought to destroy the evidence that was the subject of the report.” (Citation omitted). Rule 3.4(a) provides that “[a]n attorney shall not[] unlawfully obstruct another party’s access to evidence or unlawfully alter, destroy or conceal a document or other material having potential evidentiary value. An attorney shall not counsel or assist another - 49 - person to do any such act[.]” (Paragraph break omitted). Comment [2] to Rule 3.4 states in relevant part: Documents and other items of evidence are often essential to establish a claim or defense.

Subject to evidentiary privileges, the right of an opposing party, including the government, to obtain evidence through discovery or subpoena is an important procedural right. The exercise of that right can be frustrated if relevant material is altered, concealed or destroyed. In Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. White, 354 Md. 346, 354, 350 , 731 A.2d 447, 452, 450 (1999), this Court overruled an attorney’s exception to the hearing judge’s conclusion that the attorney violated Rule 3.4(a) where a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland found, among other things, that the attorney had “engaged in an action of destruction of parts of an autobiographical manuscript, a substantial portion of which covered events bearing on her claims before the court” and “that she knowingly and willfully intended to destroy discoverable and relevant evidence, and that her statements to the contrary were not believable[.]” In this case, clear and convincing evidence supports the hearing judge’s conclusion that Cassilly violated Rule 3.4(a). Cassilly received the Robertson Report in 1999.

At the disciplinary hearing, Cassilly testified that he discarded the Robertson Report and the 1997 Report “five years later or whatever it was” and that he then forgot about them. Cassilly never provided a copy of the Robertson Report to Huffington’s counsel and did not maintain a copy of the report in the State’s file. What is more, on August 28, 2003, in response to the petition to preserve forensic evidence and conduct DNA analysis filed by Huffington, Cassilly opposed the petition and requested permission from the circuit court to destroy the forensic evidence in Huffington’s case, i.e., the hairs that Huffington sought - 50 - to have analyzed. The hearing judge rejected Cassilly’s testimony that, at the time he filed the response to the petition to preserve forensic evidence and conduct DNA testing, he did not remember that there had been a report reviewing Agent Malone’s testimony.

It is well established that “the hearing judge is in the best position to ascertain the credibility of a witness and we generally defer to the hearing judge’s credibility determinations.” Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Miller, 467 Md. 176, 204 , 223 A.3d 976, 993 (2020) (citation omitted). In short, Cassilly discarded the Robertson Report, did not advise Huffington and his counsel that he had ever received the report, which was “a document . . . having potential evidentiary value[,]” Rule 3.4(a), and later sought to have the forensic evidence that was the subject of the Robertson Report destroyed. Disturbingly, Cassilly made the request to have the forensic evidence destroyed even though he knew that the accuracy of Agent Malone’s testimony had been called into question. It is evident that the hearing judge’s conclusion that Cassilly violated Rule 3.4(a) is supported by clear and convincing evidence.

Rule 3.8(d) (Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor) The hearing judge concluded that Cassilly violated Rule 3.8(d) by failing to disclose the Robertson Report and the 2014 DOJ letters, which the hearing judge determined were exculpatory. The hearing judge concluded that Rule 3.8(d) is not limited by Brady or Maryland Rule 4-263(j).17 The hearing judge determined that the plain language of Rule 17 Maryland Rule 4-263(j) provides that “[e]ach party is under a continuing obligation to produce discoverable material and information to the other side. A party who has responded to a request or order for discovery and who obtains further material information shall supplement the response promptly.” - 51 - 3.8(d) supports the conclusion that the disclosure obligation set forth in Rule 3.8(d) extends after conviction. The hearing judge observed that “Rule 3.8(d) does not make any mention of exculpatory information obtained only pre-trial or during trial” and instead requires that a prosecutor “disclose ‘evidence or information’ that ‘tends to negate the