Highlights from the July 2018 quarterly report of the North Carolina State Bar
Wallace Bradsher of Roxboro surrendered his law license and was disbarred by the Wake County Superior Court. Bradsher had been the elected district attorney for Person and Caswell counties. He was disbarred in connection with his conviction for felony obstruction of justice, misdemeanor obstruction of justice, misdemeanor willful failure to discharge duties, felony obtaining property by false pretenses, and aiding and abetting obtaining property by false pretenses.
The order is linked here.
The Pitt County Superior Court issued an order for Phillip Entzminger, an assistant district attorney in Pitt County, to show cause why he should not be held in criminal contempt and why he should not be disciplined for violating the Rules of Professional Conduct. The show cause order alleged that Entzminger filed a document that showed disregard for the dignity of the court, demonstrated undignified and discourteous conduct that was degrading to the court and that bred disrespect for the court and the legal profession, and made false statements to the court. The court appointed the State Bar to prosecute. On April 30, 2018, the court acquitted Entzminger on the contempt charges but found his conduct violated the Rules of Professional Conduct. The court suspended Entzminger for two years with the possibility of a stay of the balance after serving six months active suspension, on compliance with enumerated conditions. Entzminger appealed and petitioned the Court of Appeals for a writ of supersedeas. On June 13, 2018, the Court of Appeals granted his petition for writ of supersedeas. The appeal is pending.
Reciprocal discipline
Joel M. Bresler – 14G0758 & 18BSR1 Bresler, of Lakeland, Florida, was suspended for 91 days by order of reciprocal discipline effective January 11, 2018. The Supreme Court of Florida suspended Bresler for 91 days in January 2015. Bresler was a witness in the federal prosecution of his former employer and was granted immunity. Bresler drafted a false promissory note for the former employer, destroyed his own bank records at the direction of the former employer, and exaggerated to law enforcement the extent of his attorney/client relationship with the former employer. He was reinstated by the Secretary on April 30.
Pending
Craig M. Blitzer – 17 DHC 23 Blitzer, of Reidsville, was the elected district attorney of Rockingham County. It is alleged that Blitzer allowed his staff to take online academic tests for his wife on State time. Blitzer pled guilty in Wake County Superior Court to misdemeanor willful failure to discharge duties. The Chair of the DHC entered an order of interim suspension of his law license. The grievance is stayed pending receipt of the SBI investigative report.
Matthew A. Smith – 18 DHC 1 Smith, of Raleigh, was convicted of taking indecent liberties with a child, a felony, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-202.1. The Chair of the DHC entered an interim suspension of his law license. The State Bar’s motion for judgment on the pleadings was granted. Hearing on the appropriate discipline is scheduled for August 17.
Venus Yvette Springs – 18DHC 25 Springs, formerly of Charlotte and currently of New York, is alleged to have published material obtained in discovery on YouTube for no substantial purpose other than to embarrass a third party and to have maintained the publication after she was ordered by the court to take it down. Hearing has not been scheduled.