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Torres asks High Court to reconsider Kingman’s admission
The defense team of former governor Ralph DLG Torres in his pending criminal case with the Superior Court has asked the CNMI Supreme Court to reconsider the pro hac vice (or “for this purpose only”) admission of special prosecutor James Robert Kingman.
Torres defense team—attorneys Viola Alepuyo, Victorino DLG Torres, Anthony Aguon, and Matthew Holley—has asked the CNMI Supreme Court to reconsider Kingman’s pro hac vice admission to the CNMI Bar because the application for his admission “is materially deficient.”
Torres’ team argues that the deficiencies include failure to serve Torres with notice of the pro hac vice application as mandated by Supreme Court rules.
“Mr. Torres did not receive any notice of the application from the applicant, the Office of the Attorney General, or the Supreme Court prior to granting of the pro hac vice application. This material deficiency is enhanced by the fact that Mr. Torres was not served with either the pro hac vice application, or the order granting it. Mr. Torres only received those documents after the application was filed and granted by the Supreme Court, when the local media reported on it. Mr. Torres was also not given any opportunity to argue the merits of the application,” said the motion.
Other deficiencies were failure to articulate why the Office of Attorney General requires Kingman’s representation, the application allegedly fails to comply with the sworn affidavit requirement, and that pro hac vice is not the appropriate admissions rule for a special prosecutor in a criminal case.
The OAG hired Kingman, a private attorney from Texas, to lead the prosecution against Torres in his pending criminal case.
Chief Justice Alexandro Castro granted Kingman’s application for pro hac vice on March 6, 2023.
