Kentucky prosecutor accused in nude photos case could be impeached under request
A Kentucky prosecutor could face impeachment under a resolution introduced Tuesday in the state House of Representatives.
If approved, the resolution would direct House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, to appoint a committee to review evidence and decide whether to bring impeachment proceedings against Ronnie Lee Goldy.
Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, introduced House Resolution 11.
Goldy is the commonwealth’s attorney for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties.
A state hearing officer concluded last year that Goldy solicited sexually explicit photos and videos from a woman named Misty Helton after helping her in court.
The controversy arose after a former boyfriend of Helton’s took screenshots of Facebook messages between her and Goldy from her phone and turned them over to a Louisville attorney.
Helton has a lengthy criminal record.
The screenshots included several messages in which Goldy said he had done something to help Helton with a criminal case, such as having court dates changed or warrants recalled, then asked her for photos or videos.
In June 2018, for instance, Goldy messaged Helton saying “When do I get to see a video.” Helton responded “When am I not gonna have a warrant hahaha,” according to findings in the suspension case against him.
The messages that were released included two from Helton in which she was nude or partially nude.
Jean Chenault Logue, a former circuit judge, heard testimony in September after a panel of the Kentucky Bar Association asked the state Supreme Court to suspend Goldy.
Helton testified during that proceeding that “she believed he always felt like she was in debt to him with sexual favors. He requested nude photographs, nude videos and sexual favors on many occasions, and she complied on several occasions,” Logue said in her findings.
Logue said Goldy acknowledged that he and Helton had communicated with each other through Facebook Messenger but said “he did not recall sending the messages.”
Goldy testified he did not ask Helton for explicit photos and didn’t receive any, but later said during the same hearing he had received nude photos, according to the findings.
Logue concluded that Goldy did solicit nude photos from Helton, establishing probable cause to believe Goldy “abused his power by using his official position as Commonwealth Attorney to provide Ms. Helton with assistance in criminal matters for her benefit while he expected and requested actions of a sexual nature” from her.
The Supreme Court suspended Goldy, but can’t remove him from his elected position. That would fall to the House of Representatives.
In his resolution, Nemes cited the “significant and severe nature” of Logue’s findings in seeking a committee to investigate whether Goldy should have impeachment proceedings.
Nemes said if a committee of House members believe the allegations against Goldy warrant impeachment, the committee will recommend that to the full House.
If the House impeaches him, the case would be prosecuted before the state Senate, Nemes said.
This story was originally published January 3, 2023 at 5:10 PM.
