Disbarment
Jack Thompson, the Florida lawyer noted for his activism against video games, rap music, and Howard Stern was permanently disbarred for various charges of misconduct. The action was the result of several grievances claiming that Thompson had made defamatory, false statements and attempted to humiliate, embarrass, harass or intimidate his opponents. The order was made on September 25, 2008, effective October 25. However, Thompson attempted to appeal to the higher courts in order to avoid the penalty actually taking effect. Neither the US District court, nor the US Supreme Court would hear his appeal, rendering the judgment of the Florida Supreme Court final.
Thomas Martin Thompson
Ironically, it was the jailhouse informant witness-impeaching materials that Thomas Thompson's habeas corpus attorneys had gathered against Edward Floyd Fink which allowed the appellate attorneys for Thomas Goldstein to file his first habeas corpus appeal which eventually led to his release from prison. Goldstein's murder trial had taken place in Los Angeles County in 1980, three years prior to Thompson's rape and murder trial in neighboring Orange County in 1983. Goldstein's trial foreshadowed Thompson's trial three years later as it related to the prosecution's utilization of habitual jailhouse informant Fink.