(LEX 18) — The Kentucky Supreme Court ordered Thursday to dissolve a former Kentucky prosecutor’s temporary suspension from practicing law.
Former commonwealth’s attorney Ronnie Goldy Jr. was suspended from practicing law last fall after allegations that he traded legal favors for nude photos and videos of a criminal defendant.
Goldy later submitted a resignation letter for his position as commonwealth’s attorney and was ultimately unanimously convicted on impeachment by the state Senate.
As commonwealth’s attorney, Goldy handled felony criminal cases for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, and Rowan counties.
The Kentucky Supreme Court voted five to two to dissolve Goldy’s suspension from practicing law, stating in the order that Goldy’s impeachment meant there was no longer evidence he would be a threat to the public or his clients.
The order says that Goldy and his wife have lost their jobs, and that he has been unable to secure employment.
The allegations against Goldy started after a series of Facebook messages between him and a criminal defendant came to light.
The woman, Misty Helton, later spoke to LEX 18 and said that she had a friendship with Goldy that eventually turned transactional.
"It started out personal and then it turned into that I owed him," Helton told LEX 18 last year.
Helton said that Goldy would do court favors for her, like getting warrants withdrawn, in exchange for nude photos or videos of her.
Goldy could still face further punishment as disciplinary proceedings continue, and the Supreme Court’s Thursday order states that the decision regarding his suspension “should not be interpreted as pre-judging or anticipating the conclusions of the Trial Commissioner regarding the pending charge against Goldy, or the recommendation of the Board of Governors on that charge.”
