MADISON, WI — Former Monroe Country Assistant District Attorney Todd Beatse probably wishes he’d never seen a photograph of a naked lady — or at least never borrowed his son’s memory stick. Beatse became a former assistant district attorney after his employers found that he’d spent 36 hours of work time during the past 29 days enjoying the pretty pictures on an assortment of porn sites. Or maybe he was just reading the articles.
Either way, Beatse’s top 20 most visited sites while at work were of an erotic nature. When he wasn’t busy admiring the legal bodies available via the wonderful world wide web, he apparently kept himself occupied by sending people emails with lurid details about his most personal activities and opinions, among other things. Even after he was put on suspended from his duties, his dedication to smut was unaffected, with more emails being sent out, including some containing his observations concerning a certain court reporter’s breasts.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, Beatse insists it’s all just a big mistake. He didn’t put those pictures of naked, fellating, cunnilinging, and fornicating adults on his laptop on purpose! They were only there because he’d borrowed his porn-loving son’s memory stick.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court didn’t buy his story. Instead, it publicly reprimanded him, stating that it believed “that the repeated nature and seriousness of Attorney Beatse’s misconduct warrants a public reprimand” when it adopted a recommendation from the Office of Lawyer Regulation.
Beatse’s misery did not begin and end with his career as an assistant district attorney for county. The matter has cost him $6,694 in disciplinary reimbursement fees — and his marriage.
Initially found out in January of 2005 when a secretary found explicit images on his computer, Beatse had asked that the reprimand remain private. The court declined to honor his request, instead accepting an arbitrator’s recommendation that it be made public due to its grievous nature.
“I didn’t cheat a client. I didn’t break any laws. I didn’t steal any money,” Beatse protested. “I have an addiction that I had to deal with and I’ve done that.”
Now divorced and in private practice in LaCrosse, Beatse has completed counseling for his alleged porn addiction and is, presumably, cured, as well as single and looking for clients. He says it’s possible that he’ll move to Utah to remarry and work for a friend’s mortgage brokerage.
