Florida Bar orders Jerry Hill to respond in writing to my Schofield misconduct complaint by July 21

It's the first time any Schofield prosecutor has faced any hint of official accountability. Now, what will Jerry Hill say in his own defense about his false statements and abusive behavior?

I recently received official correspondence from the Florida Bar, dated July 6th, informing me that former 10th Circuit State Attorney Jerry Hill is required to address my complaint against him in writing by July 21. I will receive a copy of Hill’s answer; and I will have 10 days to submit a rebuttal if I choose. If Hill fails to submit an answer by July 21, he violates Bar Rule 4-8.4 (g).

The first moment of official public accountability for Schofield case misconduct

By forcing Jerry Hill to account in writing, under pain of punishment, for his Schofield-related behavior in 2020 and 2023, the Florida Bar has provided the first official hint of accountability for the 35-year, ongoing atrocity against Leo Schofield and justice committed by the 10th Circuit’s State’s Attorney’s Office and judges.

I hope it is not the last.

But I am very pleased and gratified to serve as the vehicle for the first.

I’ve embedded a link below to a previous the article containing the text of my complaint. The complaint focuses on:

1) Hill’s specific false statements and general, material lack of candor in his 2020 appearance before the Florida Commission on Offender Review to argue against parole for Leo Schofield.

2) Hill’s “Fuck You” response to me in a public setting when I asked him about that 2020 FCOR appearance in March 2023.

What does this letter from the Bar really mean?

It appears that the Bar takes what I’ve alleged seriously.

If my allegations were considered “de minimus” or frivolous, on their face, the Bar intake counsel could have dismissed the complaint. See this illustration from the Bar website’s description of its disciplinary process. My complaint is in the green bucket now. It cleared the first seriousness hurdle.

I’m not 100 percent certain that I’m interpreting this correctly, but the Bar seems to say that only 1 in 4 complaints gets to the stage that my complaint reached within 4 days, including the July 4th holiday. Draw your own conclusions from that.

What will Jerry say?

I am deeply curious about Jerry Hill’s response. I’m curious how he will spin the undeniable fact that he falsely declared to FCOR commissioners that “the defendant,” who is Leo Schofield, confessed to the 1987 killing of his wife.

Such a confession has never happened. Leo Schofield has never wavered in claiming innocence.

To assert otherwise was a crucial, material fact in a parole hearing where the defendant was maintaining his innocence. It’s arguably the most important possible fact in that circumstance.

Hill will most likely argue that he actually meant to refer to convicted murderer Jeremy Scott, who has confessed multiple times in escalating detail to killing Schofield’s wife, and who left physical evidence found on her car after her disappearance.

Scott should be “the defendant” in this case; but he is not. Leo Schofield is.

If Hill claims he was referring to Jeremy Scott, he will need to explain why he clearly referred to Leo Schofield as “the defendant” 18 times in his 2020 FCOR statement before switching in real time to Jeremy Scott, without clarifying for anyone he was doing that, in his final use of “defendant.”

Hill will need to explain why this sudden switch happened in the most damaging possible way for actual defendant Leo Schofield.

As of now, the record still says that “the defendant” in the Leo Schofield’s case, who is Leo Schofield, confessed. If Hill argues that “defendant” = “Jeremy Scott” just that one time, he will need to explain why he did not clarify this in the moment or correct it afterward, as Bar rules require. Hill is obligated to correct the record — under pain of punishment. And he has not. I look forward to his explanation and/or plea for mercy.

I’m also curious how Hill will address the fact that he responded to a calm, polite question I asked him about his 2020 statement to FCOR with “Fuck you.”

I am curious if he will acknowledge his behavior. I don’t find Jerry Hill a very honest person; so it would not surprise me if he just lies. To acknowledge his behavior at the 2023 County Commission meeting is to clearly confess to violating Bar standards of conduct. I wonder if Jerry has that in him as a man. I doubt it.

Denying that behavior it would put the onus on Jacob Orr, Chief Assistant State Attorney and office spokesman. Orr personally witnessed this entire scene; and I wonder if he will acknowledge it.

I have listed him as a witness on my complaint.

At least a 3-6 month timeline for any formal action

The exchange of complaint, response, and rebuttal is just the kickoff of the full process, which is likely to drag on for quite a while.

As I read the process, following Hill’s response and my rebuttal, the intake counsel will decide whether to forward the complaint to a Bar branch office for further investigation. That Branch Office could then refer it to the local Bar grievance committee, made up of local lawyers and regular citizen volunteers. That committee acts as the “grand jury” for the Bar.

The grievance committee is where the disciplinary action happens. See below and note the highlighted timeframe.

We’re looking at at least three to six months before there’s any action taken against Jerry Hill, even if my complaint is upheld.

Polk’s local grievance committee should recuse, if it comes to that

If my complaint reaches the grievance committee level, I would urge the Bar to change venue and send to a different community grievance committee.

Jerry Hill and I are both highly public figures in Polk County. There are committee members who know us both personally, including some that I might consider friendly to me. A woman I believe is the wife of current State Attorney Brian Haas, longtime Hill employee, whose office still oversees the Schofield case, sits on the committee. I don’t know her personally so it’s hard for me to be 100 percent sure.

This issue should not become a battle of personality or relationships. The complaint and Hill’s behavior should be addressed entirely on the factual and legal merits.

Stay tuned.