KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION V. ROSS HARRIS KBA MEMBER NO . 29510
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TO BE PUBLISHED
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2004-SC-0811-KB
KENTUCKY BAR ASSOCIATION
V.
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COMPLAINANT
IN SUPREME COURT
ROSS HARRIS
KBA MEMBER NO . 29510
RESPONDENT
OPINION AND ORDER
On September 16, 2004, a jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Kentucky found Respondent, Ross Harris, guilty of mail fraud in violation of 18
U .S .C. §§ 1341 and 1346, conspiracy to commit mail fraud in violation of 18 U .S.C . §§
1341 and 1346, and vote buying in violation of 42 U.S .C . § 1973(i) and in violation
of
18
U .S .C . § 371 . As such, Respondent, a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, was
automatically temporarily suspended from the practice of law in the Commonwealth
of
Kentucky as provided by SCR 3.166 .
Respondent was convicted of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud on
evidence that he used the United States mail and Federal Express in a scheme to
provide illegal campaign funds to reelect an incumbent county judge/executive . He was
convicted of buying votes on evidence that he participated in a scheme to evade
campaign finance laws to raise money to buy votes in an effort to elect a candidate for
district judge. There was evidence that participants in the scheme delivered checks in
the amount of fifty dollars each to various potential voters, gave them sample ballots
describing how to vote for the candidate, then directed them to vote for the candidate ;
and that one participant also handed out cash to voters on election day.
On September 16, 2004, a jury found Respondent guilty of the aforementioned
offenses . Accordingly, it is hereby ordered:
1 . That Respondent was automatically temporarily suspended from the practice
of law, pursuant to SCR 3 .166, as of September 17, 2004 ;
2 . That this suspension will continue until superseded by subsequent order;
3 . It is further ordered that pursuant to SCR 3.390, Respondent shall, within ten
(10) days from the entry of this Opinion and Order, notify all clients in writing of his
inability to represent them, and notify all courts in which he has matters pending of his
suspension from the practice of law, and furnish copies of said letters of notice to the
Director of the Kentucky Bar Association .
Lambert, C .J . ; Cooper, Graves, Johnstone, Keller, and Wintersheimer, JJ.,
concur. Stumbo, J ., not sitting .
ENTERED : November 18, 2004.
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