---
title: 'Arizona Prosecutor Disbarred for Eliciting False Testimony in Death Penalty Case'
description: 'The Arizona Supreme Court has ordered that former Pima County prosecutor Kenneth Peasley be disbarred for knowingly eliciting false testimony in a capital…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/arizona-prosecutor-disbarred-for-eliciting-false-testimony-in-death-penalty-case'
section: news
date: '2004-06-03T17:19:12-04:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:22:12-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

The Arizona Supreme Court has ordered that former Pima County prosecutor Kenneth Peasley be **disbarred for knowingly eliciting false testimony in a capital murder case.** After studying the results of a review conducted by its Disciplinary Commission, the Supreme Court noted that the use of false testimony in the trial of two men accused in a 1992 triple-murder case “could not have been more harmful to the justice system.” In their unanimous decision, the Justices stated, “A prosecutor who deliberately presents false testimony, especially in a capital case, has caused incalculable injury to the integrity of the legal profession and the justice system.” The Disciplinary Commission found that Peasley, a two-time prosecutor of the year, elicited false testimony from a detective with whom he was good friends during a death penalty case in 1993 and during a retrial in 1997. In a 2002 ruling overturning the conviction of one of the defendants, the Supreme Court said that Peasley intentionally deceived the jury to compensate for weaknesses in his case. During his 20-year career, Peasley has conducted approximately 250 felony cases, including 140 homicide cases, 60 or which were capital cases. (Arizona Republic, May 28, 2004) See DPIC's Report,[ Killing Justice](/article.php?scid=45&did=529). See also [Arizona.](/article.php?scid=11&did=491)