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Special prosecutor to assist state investigation of Attorney General Hill

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A Marion County criminal court on Tuesday gave the county prosecutor permission to appoint a special prosecutor to assist the state’s inspector general in the investigation of Attorney General Curtis Hill. 

Hill is facing allegations he inappropriately touched four women, including a state legislator, during an end-of-session party at an Indianapolis bar on March 15. He denies all the claims. 

Prosecutor Terry Curry said a lot of misinformation has been flowing about why there is a need for special prosecutor. Curry said he has a statutory client-attorney relationship with the attorney general that required a special prosecutor to be appointed to avoid an appearance of impropriety. 

Curry said in a statement, “It would be inappropriate for a client to conduct a criminal investigation and possible prosecution where his or her own attorney is the suspect.” 

“This is not a hypothetical concern, but an unequivocal ethical conflict. The Office of the Attorney General currently represents us in two separate civil matters, including one now before the Indiana Supreme Court,” Curry added.

Inspector General Lori Torres on Friday began an investigation. The special prosecutor would review that investigation to determine if criminal charges are appropriate. 

Curry said whoever is selected as the special prosecutor would not have a conflict of interest with Hill. He suggested it could be a retired county prosecutor or a chief deputy prosecutor.

A judge in the Marion Superior Court will have to find a candidate, inform that person and that person would have to accept the job as special prosecutor for it to become official.

That could happen in the coming weeks. 

Curry said no police reports have been filed about what happened in the early morning hours of March 15. Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon has accused Hill of sexual battery, which Curry said would be a level 5 felony if a charge were ever filed. 

Hill has denied all allegations and is calling for an independent, fair investigation that he said would exonerate him. 

(Below is the press conference of Prosecutor Terry Curry. App users can watch it at the bottom of this story here.)

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