NEWS > 04 May 2006

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Daily Mail - Charleston - Char
04 May 2006

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Prosecutors taking ethics cour

Kanawha County Prosecutor Bill Charnock wants to make sure his staff gets the best in continuing legal education by hosting an ethics class for his team of prosecutors.

The county's 22 prosecuting attorneys are taking part in three-hour training seminar today.

All attorneys admitted to the West Virginia State Bar and practice in the state are required to complete 24 hours of accredited continuing legal education courses over a two-year period. Three hours of the education must be in the field of ethics.

Lawyers usually receive this training outside work hours at various legal seminars. By keeping the teaching in-house, Charnock said he knows what kind of education his team is receiving.

"I want to make sure that everything done in the office is done properly," Charnock said. "Make sure it's done ethically, legally and professionally. I think that's real important."

Former West Virginia University Professor Jack Bowman is the instructor. Bowman, 68, was a law professor at West Virginia University for 23 years.

He has previously served as executive director of the state Bar and administrative director of the state Supreme Court of Appeals.

Charnock is aware of Bowman's expertise after having him as a teacher when he was at WVU law school in the early 1990's.

"He is held in very high esteem," Charnock said.

Bowman, retired from teaching at WVU's law school in 2002. During his tenure he was selected seven times by students as professor of the year. Currently he works as a consultant with Jackson Kelly Solutions LLC in Morgantown.

Bowman's curriculum includes a series of cases that are discussed interactively with each prosecutor.

"I have a series of problems, give them handouts and we talk about each one," Bowman said. "I just go around and ask each of them questions."

Since entering office in January 2005, Charnock has implemented monthly classes for fields of continuing legal education to keep his attorneys up to date on changes in criminal law.

He has also hosted free law enforcement seminars for police officers at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex. The seminars have included instruction on search and seizure, grand jury reporting and driving under the influence prosecution.

The classes were the first of its kind in the county to be taught by the prosecutor's office.

During his tenure, Charnock has also been the target of ethics investigations.

Last November, a state legislative audit accused Charnock of using taxpayer-funded resources, including phones, copiers and printers, to conduct his and his family's campaign business while he was head of the state's Prosecuting Attorney's Institute from 1999 until 2004

He later publicly apologized for his actions and said he had not violated any criminal laws. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.

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Article sourced from

Daily Mail - Charleston - Char04 May 2006

Prosecutors taking ethics cour

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Daily Mail - Charleston - Char
04 May 2006