In the spring of 2014, the life of Barry Domingue, a 54-year-old male attorney from Carencro, Louisiana, came to a tragic end. On Wednesday, April 2, 2014, Domingue passed away at Lafayette General Medical Center, surrounded by those close to him. His death was the result of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound sustained earlier that day.
At the time of his death, Domingue was a defendant in a federal trial.
He and a co-defendant, another Lafayette lawyer, were facing conspiracy charges related to their legal advice to a business named Curious Goods, which was allegedly involved in the distribution of synthetic marijuana. Prosecutors argued that Domingue's involvement went beyond that of a typical lawyer, alleging he took on a managerial role in the operation. This included renting warehouse space and being involved in the hiring and firing of employees.
The trial came to an abrupt halt following the news of Domingue's self-inflicted gunshot wound. The presiding U.S. District Judge declared a mistrial. It was also revealed that Domingue had left behind a suicide note. The U.S. Attorney stated that the note could contain information pertinent to the ongoing case against his co-defendant and the larger investigation into the synthetic marijuana operation. Friends and colleagues expressed their belief in his innocence, maintaining that he was simply doing his job as a lawyer.
