Haller Jackson, Former Federal Law Clerk, Pleads Guilty To A Sex Offense

What drove him into this situation, and what will happen to him next?

In January 2014, we wrote about the shocking allegations against Thomas “Haller” Jackson IV. As you may recall, this Tulane Law grad, former federal law clerk (to four different judges), and former Biglaw lawyer was accused of attempted aggravated rape and computer solicitation of a minor younger than 13.

Now we have an update from Haller Jackson himself, via his Facebook page (disclosure: as I’ve mentioned before, he and I were friendly and are connected on Facebook):

As many of you know, I was arrested last January after a decline into substance abuse and alcoholism led me to neglect my mental health. I am grateful to have been in recovery since shortly thereafter. I want to thank the Court and the DA’s Office for allowing me the time to seek treatment. I also want to thank all the professionals and friends who have helped me to recover.

This morning I will plead guilty in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court to one count of violating R.S. 81.3(B)(1)(c), a sex offense. I’m pleading guilty because I am guilty, and I want to take responsibility for that. I expect to be sentenced to 5 years flat time, to be served at Angola, though hopefully with credit for time served on house arrest. I cannot use any social media after I plead, so e-mail me at [redacted] if you would like to stay in touch. A friend will monitor that account and respond with my prison contact info once it’s known.

I believe that I have reached out to, so far as appropriate, and made amends to, so much as possible, those of you directly affected by the mental decline that led to my misconduct. I would like, however, to offer an amends to anyone—however affected—with whom I interacted while active in my addictions. Let me know that you’re open, and I will be here to provide an apology, the explanation I can, and an ear to listen to how my actions affected you.

All the best.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune has a report on this morning’s hearing. Haller Jackson pleaded guilty to computer solicitation of a juvenile. He will be officially sentenced on June 5, but Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson indicated today that he will be getting a five-year sentence as expected. The open issue, as noted in his Facebook status update, is how much credit he will get for time served on house arrest.

The five-year sentence reflects some mitigating facts: he was arrested leaving the scene, having not approached the house where the agents were waiting for him; a forensic review revealed his electronic devices were “clean” (i.e., contained no evidence of crimes other than this incident); and he was so drunk and so much of an alcoholic that he went into delirium tremens while in Orleans Parish Prison post-arrest. But the sentence also reflects the seriousness of his criminal conduct and the nature of the crime as a sex offense.

We have written extensively in these pages about how and why lawyers are so susceptible to alcoholism and drug addiction. If you suffer from these problems, please know that you are not alone — and then get help. If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, there are friends, family, and colleagues you can call. Please reach out to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or any Lawyer Assistance Program to get the help that you need. You’ll be glad that you did.

Federal judge’s former law clerk pleads guilty to soliciting a boy [New Orleans Times-Picayune]
Brian Cuban’s Successful Recovery [The Fix]

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Earlier: A Law Clerk With A Gilded Résumé, Charged With Solicitation And Attempted Rape Of A Young Boy
Think You Have An Addictive Personality? Steps You Can Take To Avoid The Worst
Why Do Lawyers Drink So Much? Because They Can.
A Biglaw Associate’s Terrible Dilemma

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