The Kansas Supreme Court has barred Republican Kansas lawmaker Carl Maughan from practicing law for at least a year due to his mishandling of conflicts of interest in a murder case. Maughan represented Bret Blevins in a 2016 crash that killed two men and was found to have violated professional standards by placing “an undue burden on resources of the criminal justice system.” The conflicts of interest arose because Maughan had previously represented Blevins’ girlfriend in DUI cases and accepted money from her to defend Blevins. The court ruled that the conflict-of-interest waivers Maughan had Blevins and his girlfriend sign were inadequate.
In the murder case, Blevins was sentenced to more than 60 years in prison in 2017 after being convicted of two counts of second-degree murder. However, the Kansas Court of Appeals later ruled that he deserved a new trial due to Maughan’s conflicts of interest. Blevins ultimately pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and received a sentence of more than 13 years in prison. Maughan announced last month that he would drop out of the race for his House seat, but his name will still appear on the primary ballot because he missed the deadline to withdraw it.
Maughan is also currently facing two misdemeanors and two traffic violations after a traffic stop in Topeka in March. He was charged with possession of a firearm while under the influence, DUI, failure to signal a lane change, and failure to maintain safe passage from a single lane. As a result of his legal troubles, Maughan stepped down from his role as vice chair of the House Judiciary committee. His attorney in the Topeka case did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Overall, Maughan’s handling of the murder case and subsequent legal issues have raised questions about his conduct and professionalism as a lawmaker and attorney. The Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to bar him from practicing law for at least a year highlights the seriousness of the conflicts of interest in the case. Maughan’s actions have had ramifications on both his legal career and his political future, with his decision to drop out of the House race and face multiple charges stemming from a traffic stop. It remains to be seen how Maughan will address these issues and how they will impact his future endeavors in both law and politics.
