The disbarment of Denver prosecutor Yujin Choi serves as a sobering reminder of how damaging false accusations and professional misconduct can be—not just to the individuals involved, but to the legal system as a whole. Choi’s deliberate and calculated actions to falsely accuse her colleague, Dan Hines, of sexual harassment—going so far as to fabricate text messages to bolster her claims—represent a betrayal of the legal profession’s most fundamental principle: the pursuit of truth.
Choi’s misconduct began in 2021 when she falsely alleged that Hines, a criminal investigator in the Denver District Attorney’s Office, made inappropriate sexual comments toward her. Despite an internal investigation finding no evidence to support her claim, Hines was transferred and told not to contact Choi.
The damage to Hines’ reputation was immediate and severe. As he described it, “I felt there was no way out, that everything I had lived for and stood for was destroyed.” Unfortunately, that initial false allegation was just the beginning.
In 2022, Choi escalated her accusations, claiming Hines had sent her inappropriate text messages. This time, she fabricated evidence by sending herself messages and altering her phone’s contact information to make it appear they came from Hines. Investigators uncovered the deceit after subpoenaing records from Verizon, which showed that the messages originated from Choi’s own device. To cover her tracks, Choi claimed that both her phone and laptop were destroyed in separate water-related accidents just days before they were to be examined—an excuse the disciplinary panel found “not plausible.”
Choi’s actions had devastating consequences for Hines, who endured professional ostracism and personal turmoil for years. The toll of living under such accusations—especially in an environment where leadership seemed inclined to believe Choi without sufficient evidence—cannot be overstated.
Hines is now pursuing a lawsuit against Denver District Attorney Beth McCann, seeking not only accountability but also systemic changes to the way internal investigations are conducted. His hope is to prevent others from enduring the same ordeal.
The ruling by the Office of Presiding Disciplinary Judge to disbar Choi sends a strong message about the importance of integrity within the legal profession. As the panel noted, “Unremitting honesty must at all times be the backbone of the legal profession.” When that honesty is compromised, especially in a deliberate and malicious way, it erodes public trust in the justice system—a trust that is already fragile in many communities.
Choi’s case is reminiscent of other high-profile instances of prosecutorial misconduct, such as Mike Nifong’s infamous pursuit of charges against the Duke Lacrosse players despite overwhelming evidence of their innocence.
Both cases underscore the immense power prosecutors wield and the devastating consequences when that power is abused. Yet, disbarments for such egregious behavior remain rare, a fact that raises important questions about accountability within the legal profession.