NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Supreme Court has stricken Ashton R. O'Dwyer from the roll of attorneys by revoking his license to practice in the state.
O'Dwyer had been accused of using racially offensive words and other derogatory terms to describe judges and other lawyers.
"Respondent’s shocking disregard for his obligations as a member of the bar of this state demonstrate why he must forfeit any right to ever return to practice," the order stated.
In a per curiam order issued on March 15, the high court stated that the disciplinary matter arises from formal charges filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel against O'Dwyer, who had been on interim suspension for threat of harm to the public.
Among other things, O’Dwyer is alleged to have sent an email in March 2009 that used a “sexual and offensive nickname” in reference to Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine Kimball. O’Dwyer also allegedly sent other emails during the following month that used terms like “pimp,” “puppet,” “Uncle Tom” and “OREO” while referring to the attorney in charge of conducting his disciplinary hearing.
In a previous interview with the Louisiana Record, O'Dwyer said he used those words because he was frustrated by his inability to get judges and lawyers to recognize the court system's and disciplinary process's corruption and conflicts of interest. O'Dwyer also claimed his actions under the protection of the First Amendment and that using unprofessional language is not cause for discipline.
"The record is replete with respondent’s vile and racially-derogatory communications (many of which are too offensive to repeat in this opinion) made to members of the judiciary and the Bar," the order stated.
"He has filed unsupported and duplicative pleadings, using offensive and abusive language, and has made baseless challenges to the authority, competency and integrity of the federal court. Respondent has consistently refused to make any significant attempt to acknowledge the wrongful nature of his acts, and he continues to portray himself as the 'victim' in these proceedings."