Curtis Hill could face discipline: what to know about hearings

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is fighting disciplinary charges that could cost him his law license over claims he groped women at a Downtown Indianapolis bar in 2018.

Hearings began Monday in the attorney discipline case stemming from the accusations of four women who say that Hill inappropriately touched them at a March 2018 party celebrating the end of the General Assembly session.

Hill has repeatedly denied any inappropriate behavior.

A special prosecutor declined to file criminal charges, but the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission in March said Hill broke Indiana's rules of professional conduct for attorneys.

The Commission is seeking to sanction his law license.

Here's what you need to know about the disciplinary hearings.

Who is Curtis Hill?

Hill, a Republican, has served as Indiana's attorney general since 2017. He is the state's highest legal officer after winning the seat in 2016 with 63 percent of the vote. 

Hill previously served as Elkhart County prosecutor for four terms. He is married with five children.

Hill has been considered a rising star in conservative politics and has used his office to weigh in on national issues ranging from sexual abuse by priests to NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.

He's also a strong supporter of pro-life policies and has been leading an investigation into how more than 2,000 medically preserved fetal remains ended up in the Illinois home of a dead abortion doctor from Indiana.

'Pattern of misconduct'

Democratic Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon and statehouse staffers Gabrielle McLemore, Samantha Lozano and Niki DaSilva have publicly claimed Hill drunkenly groped them at AJ’s Lounge on the night of March 14-15, 2018.

The commission filed a complaint against Hill arguing he engaged in a "pattern of misconduct" that breached attorney ethical standards and deserves to be sanctioned.

"(Hill) holds a position of extreme public trust and his office touches on virtually all areas of state government," the commission said in its complaint.

"As a government lawyer, (Hill) has a heightened duty of ethical conduct that is long established in Indiana ethics law." 

Closer look at the allegations

Daniel Sigler, a special prosecutor, declined to pursue criminal charges, saying he found the witnesses to be credible, but did not believe he could prove Hill's intent in order to prove a crime occurred. 

Indiana Inspector General Lori Torres released a 25-page report in October 2018 that called Hill's alleged misconduct "creepy" and "unwelcome."

"Multiple eyewitnesses provided statements that Hill’s conduct was inappropriate, 'creepy,' unwelcome and made many of the women at the party uncomfortable," the report said. "Men and women from both parties, the political left and political right, provided accounts of what transpired that night." 

While the special prosecutor declined to file a criminal case, the disciplinary commission's March 19 complaint accused Hill of committing four acts of misdemeanor battery and, in DaSilva’s case, either an act of misdemeanor battery or sexual battery, a level 6 felony. 

Hill, according to the complaint, told women to “show some skin” to get drinks. He rubbed one staffer’s back, prompting her to mouth “help” to a friend and wrapped his arms around the waist of another, the complaint said.

Hill, the complaint said, touched or grabbed Reardon's buttocks. She told him to “back off,” the complaint said, but he later touched her bare back while saying, “that skin” and “that back” or some similar phrase.

Three of the women are Democrats, while DaSilva is a Republican Senate staff member.

According to the complaint, Hill moved his hand down DaSilva’s back and she tried to brush him away.

Hill then “grabbed DaSilva’s wrist and forcibly moved DaSilva’s hand toward her buttocks, by which conduct (Hill) touched DaSilva’s buttocks with his hand and pressed or held it against her," the complaint said.

The four women have filed a civil suit. They released a joint statement shortly after the commission filed the disciplinary case against Hill. 

"The filing today was not in response to any action we took, as we did not file a grievance with the Indiana Disciplinary Commission," the statement said. "However, we are pleased to see that the sexual harassment and battery we faced from Curtis Hill is being taken seriously and that his ethics as the state’s highest legal officer are being reviewed."

IndyStar does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual misconduct but Hill's accusers have all spoken publicly. 

The hearings

The nine-member disciplinary commission is appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court to investigate and prosecute allegations of attorney misconduct.

Myra Selby, a former justice on the Indiana Supreme Court, is the hearing officer for Hill's case. 

The hearings are conducted like a trial, with each side afforded an opportunity to enter evidence and question witnesses.

The Indiana Supreme Court holds the ultimate authority on what, if any, sanctions Hill might face. Those include a reprimand, license suspension or disbarment.

What if Hill loses his law license?

If the Supreme Court decides to strip Hill of his law license, he would no longer be qualified to hold his office.

If Hill is disbarred, Gov. Eric Holcomb — who has called for Hill's resignation — would appoint a new attorney general. The only requirement is that the new attorney general must be from the same party as the person removed from office.

IndyStar reporters Chris Sikich, Ethan May, Tony Cook, Ryan Martin and Kaitlin Lange contributed to this story.

Contact IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert at 317-444-2701 or vic.ryckaert@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.