The N.C. Bar's counsel, at the request of the state attorney general, sent evidence to Union County District Attorney Michael Parker that Honeycutt and Brewer used false evidence, concealed real evidence, and suborned perjury to obtain Hoffman's conviction, then lied to a court about their misconduct. They want Parker to consider prosecuting Honeycutt and Brewer, but the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers has asked Parker to step aside, citing his close relationship with Honeycutt and Brewer.

"You served as an assistant to Mr. Honeycutt in the district attorney's office," [Academy CEO Dick] Taylor wrote. "He recommended you for your current post ... you and your staff appear regularly in front of Judge Brewer ... you are responsible for the disposition of the case in which the alleged wrongdoing and illegal conduct by prosecutors took place."

It doesn't look right for a decision about prosecuting charges of felonious misconduct -- lying to a judge and hiding evidence in a death penalty case that put a man on death row for seven years -- to be in the hands of an old friend of the accused, Taylor says in the letter.

Taylor asked Parker to refer the case "to a special prosecutor or other person with whom there would be no appearance of conflict."