The State Bar of Texas has put Williamson County District Attorney Jana Duty on probation for 18 months for professional misconduct in connection to the Crispin Harmel case.
A 7-page agreed judgment for probated suspension, date June 1, stated the Duty had violated a March 2015 gag order on the case against Harmel. Harmel is charged with capital murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery for the 2009 killing of Jessika Kalaher, according to KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
Duty was also sentenced to 10 days in jail for contempt of court.
Under terms of the probation, Duty has been ordered to complete six additional hours of continuing legal education in the area of ethics before Sept. 1, in addition to the Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements of the State Bar of Texas. The probation will run from June 1, 2016 to Nov. 30, 2017.
Duty lost her reelection bid in the March primary to opponent Shawn Dick.
