Frank Forthright acted unethically by having a private detective take advantage of Sally's intoxicated state to obtain an admission about defamatory statements. The attorney must balance representation with ethical standards which do not allow taking advantage of others' impaired states to gather information.
In obtaining the admission from Sally, Frank Forthright's actions can be considered unethical. While it is true that lawyers often use private investigators to gather information, there's a line that must not be crossed in terms of how evidence is obtained. Specifically, Frank instructs Pete from "Pink Pete's licensed investigative services, Inc." to talk to Sally without her knowing he's an investigator, and while she gets intoxicated, which leads her to admit the defamatory statements were untrue. This could violate ethical standards considering that intoxication could render Sally's consent to discuss such matters invalid.
The most appropriate answer to the multiple-choice question would likely be (c) Yes, because Pete took advantage of Sally while under the influence of alcohol. This takes into account the ethical consideration that Sally may not have been in a position to give informed consent to the conversation or to divulge truthful or meaningful information due to her impaired state.
Attorneys must navigate the delicate balance between zealous representation of their clients and adherence to ethical guidelines, which include the manner in which they obtain evidence or information from the other parties involved.