Alaska judge’s cases under review after discovery of sexualized relationships with prosecutors

Joshua Kindred, past an lawyer for nan Alaska Oil and Gas Association, astatine a convention successful 2018. (Photo courtesy Heather Holt)

Federal prosecutors successful Alaska are reviewing astir 2 twelve criminal cases for imaginable conflicts of liking aft revelations that a U.S. District Court judge had sexualized relationships pinch attorneys who appeared earlier him.

That’s according to a missive from nan Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office to nan Federal Public Defender, obtained by Alaska Public Media, that includes a database of 23 cases assigned to erstwhile Judge Joshua Kindred that are nether review.

Kindred abruptly resigned July 3, conscionable 4 years into a life assignment successful 2020 by then-President Donald Trump.

Days later, connected July 8, nan Judicial Council for nan Ninth Circuit released a 30-page bid detailing Kindred’s inappropriate relationship pinch 1 of his rule clerks, who went connected to go a national prosecutor. It besides included an relationship of different national charismatic who sent Kindred nude photos and mentioned a backstage lawyer pinch whom Kindred was said to person engaged successful sexualized texts.

According to nan order, which is based connected a judicial behaviour investigation that started successful November of 2022, Kindred had besides created a much mostly dispute activity situation successful his office.

The allegations put Kindred’s impartiality successful question. Defense attorneys opportunity nan concealed and inappropriate relationships he had pinch prosecutors might’ve led to unfair rulings against their clients.

At slightest 1 suspect not connected nan database of cases nether reappraisal has asked for a caller trial, citing accusation successful nan Judicial Council’s order.

The Federal Public Defender for Alaska, Jamie McGrady, said successful a July 17 missive to nan U.S. Attorney’s Office that nan national prosecutors should person disclosed nan imaginable for conflicts of liking overmuch sooner, aft learning of nan allegations successful November of 2022.

McGrady declined to remark for this story. But successful nan missive she described nan deficiency of disclosure arsenic a “willful suppression of information.”

The result, McGrady wrote, is that immoderate defendants who would person been owed ineligible recourse person already reached nan conclusion of their possibly tainted cases, including immoderate who’ve been serving their sentences.

“That consequence is moreover much troubling than nan improper relationships astatine nan bosom of nan conflicts,” McGrady wrote.

The Public Defender’s Office is conducting its ain investigation and is prepared to litigate nan rumor further if its clients look to person been treated unfairly, McGrady wrote.

A spokesperson for nan Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office declined an question and reply petition pinch U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker and connected Tuesday sent nan pursuing statement:

“This agency has obligations to disclose imaginable conflicts of interest. When nan agency learned of misconduct allegations, nan United States Attorney reported nan accusation to nan due disciplinary authorities responsible for investigating nan veracity of nan allegations. We will proceed to afloat comply pinch each obligations, and will supplement our disclosures arsenic required.”

Retired Public Defender Rich Curtner, who served successful nan domiciled for 24 years, said he suspects location will beryllium challenges to much cases than nan 23 connected nan national prosecutors’ list.

Curtner described nan allegations against Kindred as, not conscionable opening a tin of worms, but a “landfill of worms.”

“It was really shocking to maine erstwhile I heard each these allegations and really extended they were,” Curtner said. “Absolutely it’s unprecedented. I mean, I’ve ne'er moreover seen aliases heard thing for illustration this hap successful a national court.”