Indy attorney who told court ‘someone is going to die’ suspended

An Indianapolis attorney charged with intimidation against a Marion County court and other offenses has been suspended from the practice of law after the Indiana Supreme Court granted a petition for his emergency suspension.

The high court granted the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission’s emergency petition in a Friday order that requested the suspension of Kraig A. Kenworthy pending further order of the court or final resolution of any resulting disciplinary action. The Commission said Kenworthy engaged in “alleged misconduct that may cause Respondent’s continued practice of law during the pendency of a disciplinary investigation or proceeding to pose a substantial threat of harm to the public, clients, potential clients, or the administration of justice.”

Kenworthy did not respond to the petition for emergency suspension and failed to undergo two competency examinations of which he was previously ordered by the court. Instead, he filed a “Verified Notice of Insufficient Service of Process” and an accompanying affidavit.

The attorney, of Kraig A. Kenworthy Attorney At Law, was suspended effective Jan. 11. According to the commission’s petition for emergency suspension,  Kenworthy was arrested and charged in June 2016 and charged with Class A misdemeanor criminal trespass and two counts of Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. Police initially responded to a welfare check initiated by Kenworthy himself, informing officers that he had “knowledge of a group running an extortion ring and using a military device to commit homicide.” Officers believed him to be a danger to himself and others and took him to Eskenazi Hospital.

Then in October 2017, Kenworthy was charged with Class A misdemeanor intimidation after making several intimidating phone calls to the Marion Superior Court, where he told a member of the court’s staff that “someone is going to die today” and that “[t]here is going to be a murder”.

Former Marion Superior Judge Michael Keele, Civil Division 7, signed an Oct. 27, 2017 order restricting Kenworthy’s access to Keele’s courtroom without being accompanied by a uniformed law enforcement officer. Also, Marion Superior Court Judge David J. Certo ordered that Kenworthy have no contact with Keele or members of his staff.

This is Kenworthy’s first disciplinary action, according to the Indiana Roll of Attorneys. He was admitted to practice in 1988.