She says the judge had ‘the power to ruin not only my career, but my personal life as well.’
The post Prosecutor Says She Was Pressured To Send Disgraced Judge Nude Photos appeared first on Above the Law.
Former Trump-appointed federal judge Joshua Kindred resigned from the District of Alaska bench, just four years after beginning his lifetime appointment. According to the Special Committee appointed by the Ninth Circuit to investigate the ethics complaints against the judge, Kindred engaged in sexual misconduct creating a sexualized relationship with one of his clerks and a hostile work environment for others. The report by the Special Committee also identified potential conflicts of interest with other attorneys who had business in his courtroom — specifically noting an Assistant United States Attorney “with whom he had a flirtatious rapport” (later identified as Karen Vandergaw) sent Kindred nude photographs.
The impact of the judge’s undisclosed conflicts of interest on the judicial system is still being assessed. But one result was a new trial for Rolando Hernandez-Zamora. Documents filed during the course of the Hernandez-Zamora case revealed new details about the interactions between Vandergaw and Kindred.
According to court filings, Vandergaw said she was “trapped” by Kindred’s request for nude photos and that he had “the power to ruin not only my career, but my personal life as well.”
When initially asked about her relationship with Kindred, Vandergraw said it was strictly professional. However, after he resigned, the full story came out. As reported by Reuters, a motion in the Hernandez-Zamora provides details:
But after Kindred resigned, Vandergraw in August “admitted that she had not been truthful,” [U.S. District Judge Marco Hernandez] wrote, and that she had at Kindred’s request sent him nude photos via encrypted messaging services beginning in December 2021.
The filings in that case also describe Vandergraw’s state of mind at the time.
Defense lawyer Alexis Howell in a motion arguing for the dismissal of the case [against Hernandez-Zamora] said that Vandergraw in her August letter described how Kindred began asking for the photos after bragging about his political contacts and offering to help the prosecutor get nominated to become a federal judge herself.
Vandergaw in the letter said she felt “completely powerless” and sent him nude photos while also receiving sexually explicit messages from Kindred, who acted aggressively and made it clear he had “the power to ruin my life,” according to the motion.
Vandergraw went on to say she “felt trapped and believed I had no choice” but to send him the nude photographs.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
