The disciplinary board of the Texas State Bar rejected an appeal on February 9 from Charles Sebesta, the prosecutor whose misconduct led to the wrongful conviction of Anthony Graves (pictured, r.). The board’s decision disbarring Sebesta for what it called “egregious” misconduct is now final. Anthony Graves was convicted in 1994 on the false testimony of Robert Carter, who claimed Graves was his accomplice. Graves was exonerated in 2010 and filed a complaint against Sebesta in 2014. Sebesta was disbarred for eliciting Carter’s false statements and withholding exculpatory evidence from Graves’ defense. The disciplinary board made an initial ruling to revoke Sebesta’s law license in 2015, but he appealed the ruling on technical grounds. Graves lauded the board’s decision, saying, “The bar stepped in to say that’s not the way our criminal justice system should work. This is a good day for justice.”
(B. Grissom, “State Bar board affirms disbarment of prosecutor who sent innocent man to death row,” Dallas Morning News, February 8, 2016.) See Prosecutorial Misconduct.
