Local lawyer is suspended from practice

From staff reports

September 06, 2008 12:12 am

— Athens attorney John McLain has been suspended from practicing law in Alabama following his arrest in July on two counts of enticing a child for immoral purposes, according the state Bar Association’s Disciplinary Commission.
McLain’s suspension began July 31 and was done with his consent, the commission stated in a legal advertisement in The News Courier.
A call to general counsel at the state bar office was not returned Friday.
McLain, 49, of 1706 Foxcroft Drive, who practiced downtown as a CPA for many years before getting his law degree, was arrested July 23 after two girls, ages 12 and 13, told their parents McLain had offered them a ride then took them to his Athens home, where they stayed for seven hours, police reported.
The case remains under investigation. Within days of the arrest an investigator for the state Attorney General’s office accompanied police to McLain’s home for a search but results of that search have not been released.
Capt. Marty Bruce said at the time of the arrest that McLain had offered to give the girls a ride. Bruce did not say where the girls were picked up “ to protect the identity of the children.”
McLain is accused of inappropriately touching one of the victims and exposing himself to both girls during the time they were in his home.
He also allegedly made suggestive comments to the victims.
McLain later left the girls in a public place, Bruce said.
The incident occurred July 4. The girls’ parents reported the incident the weekend after the holiday and authorities investigated for several weeks before making the arrest, Bruce said.