The STFU Sanction

The Colorado Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved a stayed 60-day suspension and probation with conditions for two years

From 2019 to 2022, Khilji practiced law in Grand Junction as a public defender. In mid-May 2023, a blog titled “Much Ado About Something,” which is maintained by a former deputy district attorney for the 21st Judicial District, posted a screenshot displaying two comments made in response to a blog post. The comments were attributable to a Mesa County judge and to a different former deputy district attorney for the 21st Judicial District. The comment attributable to the judge read, “DA GOT THAT DOPE.” The comment attributable to the former deputy district attorney read, “Shut the fuck up.”

In fact, Khilji authored the comments, posing as the judge and the former deputy district attorney. When Khilji authored the comments, he was no longer employed as a public defender. Khilji did not post the comments to the blog but submitted them to the blog’s moderator. To submit the comments, Khilji had to associate each one with an email address. Khilji concocted the email addresses, though one of the addresses happened to be an actual address used by the former deputy district attorney.

Through this conduct, Khilji violated Colo. RPC 8.4(c) (it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation).

(Mike Frisch)