Kanawha Prosecutor Mark Plants
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Supreme Court has decided not to suspend Kanawha Prosecutor Mark Plants’ law license and also found the office’s disqualification from prosecuting certain cases sufficient.
In April, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel filed a complaint against Plants, seeking to suspend his license until charges he faces are resolved.
Plants faces a misdemeanor domestic abuse charge after allegedly whipping his son with a belt in February, which caused a large bruise on the boy’s upper leg. He also faces a charge of violating a protective order.
The office also wanted Plants’ office disqualified from handling cases involving domestic violence charges against children.
Supreme Court justices released their opinion Wednesday, deciding the temporary suspension wasn’t necessary. The unsigned opinion noted the appointment of special prosecutors resolved any potential threat of harm to the public.
Kanawha Circuit Judge Duke Bloom previously disqualified Plants’ office from prosecuting these types of cases and appointed Don Morris as chief special prosecutor. He also appointed assistant special prosecutors Rocky Holmes, Adam Petry and Amy Bird, who were already employees of the Kanawha prosecutor’s office.
They will remain on the county’s payroll and the only additional cost to taxpayers will be for Morris…