Reported Legal Misconduct Committed By Attorney R.J. Connelly III In Rhode Island Courts

Attorney Connelly Accused Of Intemperance And Ethics Violations

Complaint One:  1-22-06  The Providence Journal reported that Atty. Connelly was charged with drunken driving and assaulting Cranston police officers after his car struck a utility pole.  Cranston police said criminal charges were dismissed but Connelly was adjudged guilty of a civil violation -- refusing to take a Breathalyzer -- in the Traffic Tribunal.  He was fined, lost his license for three months, ordered to attend drunken-driving school and perform 10 hours of community service, according to Maj. Ronald T. Blackmar.

Complaint Two:  1-22-06  The Providence Journal reported that 99-year-old Beatrice Demers had $4 million.  Now the state attorney general is investigating whether she was exploited, abused or neglected.  Atty. Frederick C. Kilguss Jr. notified the Probate Court that a motion was being prepared to vacate the appointments made regarding Beatrice Demers' guardianship.  In the court papers, Atty. Frederick Kilguss asserted that the petition for guardianship had been "inappropriately filed."  Atty. Connelly, he said, had failed to conduct an investigation to see whether, as the law requires, other "less restrictive means existed, such as a durable power of attorney for health care or a trust" to accomplish what was needed for Demers.

In the court filing, Atty. Kilguss stated that he'd known Demers since 1956, had been her lawyer for 20 years, that he held a valid durable general power of attorney for her and that he had been selected by her as co-trustee of her trust.  He complained that "no effort" had been made to contact him before the guardianship petition had been filed.