Court suspends law license of former St. Lawrence County district attorney

ALBANY, N.Y. — A state appellate court has suspended the legal license of Mary Rain, the former St. Lawrence County district attorney and a former assistant district attorney in Oswego County.

The appellate court for the third judicial department agreed with earlier findings that Rain withheld evidence that could have helped prove a defendant not guilty and allowed an intern who had failed the bar exam to conduct a felony jury trial.

In addition, the court agreed with an earlier finding that Rain had served grand jury subpoenas with no intention of presenting the information gained to a grand jury.

In her defense, Rain filed an affidavit contending “that much of her misconduct was the result of her mere negligence as opposed to intentional conduct,” the court ruling said.

The judges rejected that, noting that Rain “was a seasoned prosecutor with extensive experience, and the majority of her violations evidence a pattern of disregard for defendants’ civil rights.”

The ruling also noted that Rain’s record already includes, “three prior admonitions and a letter of caution.”

The findings concluded: “Accordingly, in order to protect the public, maintain the honor and integrity of the profession and deter others from committing similar misconduct, we find that, under the circumstances presented, respondent should be suspended from the practice of law for a period of two years.”

Contact McChesney at cmcchesney@cnybj.com

Photo credit: Prior “Mary Rain for St. Lawrence County District Attorney” campaign Facebook page