The North Carolina Bar just ruled that Christine Mumma violated professional conduct rules in her quest to free an innocent man from prison.
Mumma is an attorney for the North Carolina Innocence Project (actually, The NC Center on Actual Innocence) She was trying to free Joseph Sledge, 71, who had spent more than three decades in prison for a double homicide he did not commit. Mumma and Sledge are pictured at the right.
The prosecutor was reluctant to release Sledge unless Mumma could find DNA matching the suspect in the double murder. So Mumma visited the home of Marie Andrus, the woman from whom she was trying to get DNA. Ms. Andrus’ sons (one or both of them) were suspects in the crime.
Ms. Andrus refused to give any DNA, but Mumma left the house with a water bottle, thereby obtaining the DNA. (The full complaint is below the fold).
Yeah, it was the wrong thing to do (and Ms. Andrus has forgiven Mumma and understands), and so the disciplinary panel ruled against Ms. Mumma.
As an aside, I should mention that Sledge was later found innocent and released early last year.
I write this with sadness. People like Mumma deserve medals. I can’t help but wonder if a little of this was payback from the state of NC. I hope the consequences of this ruling today are not too harsh. There needs to be more like Mumma.
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