The U.S. Supreme Court says it will not review a reprimand issued to Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd by the Missouri Supreme Court.
Zahnd was issued the public reprimand by the state court after being accused of intimidating and threatening supporters of Darren Paden, a Dearborn man who pled guilty in 2015 to repeatedly sexually abusing a child for more than a decade.
Last spring, the Missouri Supreme Court issued the public reprimand. The court could have suspended his license but chose the reprimand instead. It does not affect Zahnd’ ability to practice law or carry out his duties as prosecutor. Zahnd then requested the US Supreme Court review the case.
“It’s always a longshot to obtain a United States Supreme Court review of a case. The court accepts only about one of every 100 cases it is asked to hear. The court often declines multiple cases raising an important issue before later granting review of a case to decide that same issue,” Zahnd said this week.
“The Missouri Press Association, the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and I asked the court to hear the case because we believe it raises the vital issue of whether an elected prosecutor can tell the truth in a news release about public information regarding a court case once that case is over. I did those things in support of a victim of child sexual abuse. While the Supreme Court’s decision not to grant further review brings an end to this case, I will never stop doing everything I can to be a voice for victims and uphold the public’s right to know about what happens in their criminal justice system in accordance with the court rules,” Zahnd added.
