A Mental Health Crisis

The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct has recommended a one-year suspension with fitness for misconduct while "in the midst of a mental health crisis that led to (a) a dangerous encounter with law enforcement and eventual criminal charges for OVI and improperly handling a firearm and (b) repeated outbursts at a hearing in his personal divorce case that disrupted the proceedings.

After his wife told him she was leaving him, the police were advised that he had called the suicide hotline and said

the gun is coming out

When contacted by a police officer he said

If you want me to fucking blow my brains out, I'll do it right now...I would do it in under 60 seconds.

He "seemed to have calmed down and sobered up" in interactions with the police, but later that day they were advised that he was driving en route to the United States Military Academy (where his son was enrolled) "intoxicated, possibly suicidal, and had a firearm. "

He turned around and was stopped by police. There was a stand off and he told officers to shoot him in the head.

They did not shoot and he was arrested. at the hospital, his blood alcohol content was .247.

Relevant portions from the transcript of the divorce proceedings is set out in the report.

In bar bar proceeding

Respondent engaged in numerous profanity-laden and irrelevant outbursts, similar to those from the divorce proceedings...

The board attributed these outbursts to his mental health issues. (Mike Frisch)