Alaska’s federal public defender, Jamie McGrady, is requesting a review by the Justice Department watchdog regarding the handling of conflicts of interest between top prosecutors in the state and a US judge who resigned over misconduct findings. McGrady expressed concern that the prosecutors did not promptly reveal these conflicts, leaving the US attorney’s office ill-equipped to assess the damage caused by the scandal.
The letter obtained by Bloomberg Law stated that McGrady urged prosecutors to disclose more information about potential conflicts with former US District Judge Joshua Kindred, as well as when they first became aware of these issues. The US attorney’s office in Alaska stated they have complied with obligations to disclose and avoid conflicts of interest, reporting misconduct allegations to the appropriate disciplinary authorities.
McGrady’s request for the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate the matter follows revelations that at least 23 cases may have been affected by conflicts of interest involving three prosecutors and Kindred, who resigned due to an inappropriate relationship with a former law clerk. McGrady emphasized the need for transparency and timely disclosure of conflicts to ensure the fairness of criminal proceedings.
While the Ninth Circuit inquiry into Kindred’s conduct may have initially imposed secrecy, McGrady stressed that the suppression of information regarding conflicts of interest in criminal cases was unwarranted. She voiced concerns that the defense bar now faces the task of reviewing older cases to assess potential prejudice suffered by clients, calling for action to restore fairness in affected criminal cases. The request for review was made on behalf of McGrady’s office and private attorneys representing indigent criminal defendants in federal court.
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