Prosecutor in Anthony Graves case disbarred

Anthony Graves on the campus at St. Thomas University in Houston June, 2012. Anthony Graves on the campus at St. Thomas University in Houston June, 2012. Photo: Billy Smith II Photo: Billy Smith II Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Prosecutor in Anthony Graves case disbarred 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

The former district attorney who successfully prosecuted Anthony Graves for capital murder, sending Graves to prison for 18 years for a crime he did not commit, has been disbarred, according to state bar officials.

Former Burleson County District Attorney Charles Sebesta Jr. lost his law license after an administrative hearing into Graves' case.

Graves was freed from prison four years ago after serving more than 18 years for the 1992 murder of six Burleson County residents. On two occasions, he was scheduled to be executed.

In a ruling issued Thursday, the disciplinary panel found that Sebesta failed to provide several items of exculpatory evidence to the defense during Graves' trial, presented false testimony to the jury, made a false statement of material fact to the trial judge and engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.

"Mr. Sebesta's disbarment cannot begin to make up for what happened to Anthony Graves, but we hope it can bring him some sense of justice," Laura Popps, deputy counsel for the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, said in a news release. "Whether it is prosecutorial misconduct or other serious allegations of attorney misconduct, our office remains committed to holding lawyers accountable for their actions and obtaining sanctions that protect both the public and the legal profession."

Sebesta could not be immediately reached for comment.