TRENTON — Two attorneys with local ties were disciplined through state ethics procedures last year.
On Aug. 16, the Office of Attorney Ethics issued its 2009 Attorney Disciplinary System Report. Within the report, Wildwood attorney Vincent N. Simone and former Avalon attorney and Camden Judge Stephen W. Thompson were among 173 attorneys statewide to receive public discipline.
There are six primary forms of final disciplinary sanctions. Listed from most severe to least, they are: disbarment, license revocation, suspension (for a definite or indefinite term), censure, reprimand, and admonition.
In 2009, New Jersey had 29 disbarments, 30 term suspensions, 23 censures, 26 reprimands and 40 admonitions. The Supreme Court also issued 25 temporary emergent license suspensions or restrictions last year.
Regarding the local attorneys, Simone was censured and Thompson was disbarred.
According to the report, Simone was disciplined on Dec. 9, 2009 for possessing a controlled dangerous substance, specifically crack cocaine.
When the Herald attempted to reach Simone at the number listed for his former office in Wildwood, an associate there stated the attorney was “no longer in practice.”
Thompson’s disbarment was in response to his conviction in federal court on charges against him for traveling to Russia to engage in sexual relations with a teenage boy for the purpose of videotaping the act and transporting the tape back to the United States.
A raid of Thompson’s homes in April 2003 produced child pornography including an incriminating videotape of Thompson engaged in sexual relations with a boy between 13 and 16 years old.
At trial, Thompson’s defense suggested that his pedophilic tendencies are a result of traumatic injuries, including the loss of a leg and genital mutilation, he suffered as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Thompson received a Purple Heart medal for his injuries.
Thompson, 63, who was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1975, was temporarily suspended on Nov. 7, 2005 pending the outcome of federal proceedings. In 2006, Thompson was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and fined $25,000 for his crimes. Thompson was disbarred on Jan. 27 last year.
Thompson is currently serving his the remainder of his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Forrest City in eastern Arkansas.
Wildwood – So Liberals here on spout off, here's a REAL question for you.
Do you think it's appropriate for BLM to call for "Burning down the city" and "Black Vigilantes" because…
