In a highly unusual move, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga has ordered an investigation of a death penalty lawyer who has repeatedly missed critical deadlines, was involved in a capital case in which roach-infested boxes of documents were destroyed by rain and who is currently representing two inmates who are trying to fire her.
Labarga ordered the probe of Fort Lauderdale lawyer Mary Catherine Bonner “pursuant to the Court’s authority to monitor the representation of capital defendants to ensure that the defendants receive quality representation” on Nov. 8, seven months after prominent death-penalty lawyer Martin McClain wrote to the court outlining concerns about Bonner.
