Board says lawyer with anti-gay rants committed misconduct

DETROIT (AP) — The state Attorney Discipline Board says a former state lawyer committed misconduct when he hounded a gay student leader at the University of Michigan.

Andrew Shirvell was an assistant attorney general when he was fired in 2010. He had criticized Christopher Armstrong on an anti-gay blog, in Facebook posts and during visits to the Ann Arbor campus.

Shirvell said he was exercising free-speech rights. A jury later awarded $4.5 million to Armstrong.

A panel at the Attorney Discipline Board says Shirvell also committed misconduct with a frivolous lawsuit against Armstrong’s attorney, Deborah Gordon.

The recent report was filed months after a hearing. Shirvell lives outside the state but still holds a Michigan law license. The case next will turn to a penalty phase.