Publish and Perish: Court-Appointed Lawyer For Arias Suspended For Tell-All Book

Kirk Nurmi, the attorney for Arizona murderer Jodi Arias, has avoided disbarment by voluntarily accepting a suspension for four years after writing a tell-all book about his infamous client. Nurmi allegedly sought to cash in on his representation by revealing confidential information in his self-published book, “Trapped with Ms. Arias.” It wasn’t Arias but ethics that trapped Nurmi.

Arias, 36, is serving a life sentence for killing her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, 30, in suburban Phoenix in 2008.

There will be many who believe that this deal was far too generous for Nurmi who was Arias’ court-appointed counsel. Nurmi reportedly portrayed Arias unfavorably. The book relied information from private conversations as well as evidence ruled to be inadmissible. The bar determined that Nurmi was never given “written or oral permission or authority to any of her attorneys” to publish information about the case.

With the exception of being disbarred, the four-year suspension is no trivial matter. Do you think that this is sufficient punishment?