Summary: The former White House lawyer found guilty of attempted murder on his then-wife and currently serving a 15 year prison sentence has been disbarred.
J. Michael Farren, the former White House lawyer found guilty last year of attempted murder in the assault on his ex-wife, has been disbarred. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals found Farren guilty of crimes that involved “moral turpitude”. Crimes of moral turpitude were defined by the court as being “baseness, vileness, or depravity” and thus require disbarment.
He was found guilty by a jury that deliberated for less than 90 minutes in a Connecticut state court. He was found guilty if assault, attempted murder, and risk of injury to a child. He was sentenced to 15 years of jail and is in the process of appealing the conviction. He had not filed a response to a recommendation from the Board on Professional Responsibility for his disbarment last year.
Farren beat his wife-at-the-time, Mary Margaret Farren. Their daughters were seven and four months old at that time. He has been ordered by a judge to never contact his daughters. She was a former attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She has been unable to work due to a brain injury she acquired from the beating.
Farren worked as a general counsel and corporate secretary for Xerox Corp before going to the White House in 2007 to serve under President George W Bush for two years.
Photo: abcnews.go.com