Judge calls ear-licking Hawaiian attorney a dirty old man

A Kaua‘i attorney was convicted on Thursday of harassment after being accused of licking his client’s ear at his office last year. According to the Kaua'i prosecutor’s office, a 26-year-old woman said in court that she was in the Līhu‘e office of attorney Lawrence McCreery on July 26, 2011 discussing her child custody case when the incident occurred.

Prosecutors say the woman said McCreery touched her arm and said, “You look so good,” and, “Too bad you’re married.” She claimed McCreery made a “weird sound” and then hugged her tightly and licked the back of her right ear. McCreery took the stand to deny the charges. He testified that the woman initiated the hug and he denied licking her ear.



McCreery’s defense attorney, Michael Soong, argued that it would be physically difficult for the incident to have occurred. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Lance Kobashigawa told the court that all elements of the harassment law were proved and that there was no mistake that what the woman felt on her ear that day was McCreery licking her.

Prosecutors say Fifth Circuit District Court Judge Frank Rothschild said there was no evidence that the woman had any motive to make up the story or to lie. The judge added that defense claims early in the trial that the defence would dispute the complaining witness’s credibility never materialized. “Quite frankly,” said the judge, “these are the actions of a dirty old man.” McCreery’s attorney told the court that he would be appealing the decision.