Bill > H1613

This bill establishes ethical standards for district attorneys and their employees, making them subject to the same laws and rules governing other attorneys in Massachusetts, including professional conduct rules. It specifically prohibits district attorneys from seeking indictments without probable cause, failing to release exonerating information, intentionally misstating or altering evidence, misleading courts about a person's guilt, influencing witnesses, obstructing discovery, offering sexual favors to witnesses, improperly leaking investigation information, misstating the law, or engaging in conduct that discredits their office. Violations can result in penalties such as probation, demotion, dismissal, loss of retirement benefits, suspension, referral to the bar for ethical charges, or even criminal prosecution. The bill also outlines a complaint process where individuals can submit written statements to the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, which will conduct preliminary and further investigations, and if warranted, impose penalties. The term "employee" is broadly defined to include various legal and investigative staff working for or under the authority of a district attorney's office.