How Does it Feel Mr. Kratz?
I have always felt the pile‑on techniques used by police and prosecutors are unfair. These techniques have been used to paint defendants with intent to blacken the defendant in the eyes of the public. Press conferences are given with little regard for truth. The attempts to undermine are not limited to the accused. The desire for notoriety leads police and prosecutors to make public disparaging statements about “persons of interest” and even people and businesses that are not involved with a crime. Neither police nor prosecution is hampered with any requirement that their statements be truthful. Any response by citizens attempting to defend themselves can be twisted by prosecutors to claim some kind of guilt.
Our legislators are a part of this mess. The lawmakers in Madison, Wisconsin have happily added laws to allow prosecutors to charge the same crime with several different law violations. Plus, these wise lawmakers have added surcharges upon surcharges so a person guilty of a very minor crime will find the fine for the crime is a minor part of the indebtedness that Republicans and Democrats alike have heaped upon defendants. Most victims of this type of ganging up are people who are too poor to hire a competent attorney for self‑defense.
Of course, Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz has been more than happy to partake in undermining the accused and others. In the Great Hilbert Sex Ring, he and his sidekick Calumet County Sheriff Gerald (Jerry) Pagel, gave news conferences to keep the public’s voyeurism stoked. I’m sure it was a disappointment to both when their claim of a potential ever widening sex ring did not bear fruit. Part of that campaign was to excessively charge one of the parties so Kratz could claim he nabbed a patriarch.
Both Kratz and Pagel were eager to make public claims about Steven Avery prior to his trial for the murder of Theresa Halbach. Kratz claimed that Avery would only grant interviews to reporters who had the general appearance of the victim was bogus. It was actually police and prosecutor who attempted to force news interviews upon Avery even after his attorneys directed the authorities to stop. And, Kratz wanted only news reporters with a physical resemblance to Halbach to perform the interviews. But, local news organizations were very happy to be used by the prosecution.
Kratz even claimed that Avery committed the crime because he wanted to return to prison. His authority was the nephew of Avery, Brendan Dassey. Dassey, a special education student was pressured by investigators to produce a motive for the murder so he guessed. That was good enough for Kratz.
Kratz went after Dassey because he was the alibi witness that could destroy the State’s case against Avery. Kratz stepped forward with claims based upon an uncorroborated confession by Dassey. Kratz held a televised news conference in which he gave gruesome details about the death of Halbach. Evidence has not supported the details and at Dassey’s trial, the State gave opening statements and closing statements which conflicted about timelines and facts.
Kratz and his cronies were very willing to convict this boy because of notoriety and convenience. To be fair, the defense attorneys involved presented a very poor defense. One of the defense attorneys actually spent time and resources to try to find evidence against Steven Avery rather that attempt a defense of Dassey. Kratz attempted to pile on even more damaging accusations at the trial of Dassey. He was thwarted when a star witness refused to perjure herself. Kratz’s investigators didn’t cook her testimony as much as they thought.
Now; Kratz is caught attempting to seduce a person who was the victim of a beating and strangulation. He thought he would get away with it. The Associated Press was informed of his behavior, and he was in the limelight. Kratz tried to play innocent.
Kratz sent suggestive text messages (sexting) to a victim he expected to be a witness in a prosecution. The witness was also the victim of the crime.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has already whitewashed his misconduct. The Office of Lawyer Regulation had already turned by a claim of misbehavior placed by the young woman Kratz attempted to coerce. The State Department of Victim Services has stood mute. So, the official Wisconsin stance was that Kratz is OK. The victim is collateral damage.
But, all is not quiet. Victim’s organizations piled upon the prosecutor demanding his resignation. A Wisconsin legislator (and former judge) demanded his resignation. Newspaper editorials are demanding that Kratz resign. Governor James Doyle has stated that he is awaiting a valid citizen complaint against Kratz so he can look at the possibility of removal of Kratz from office. The Wisconsin Association of District Attorneys sent Kratz a letter demanding his resignation.
Despite the reticence of those in the Wisconsin justice system, overwhelming calls from the public are calling for resignation or ouster. I would prefer disbarment.
Kratz’s responses have been that there was nothing sexual, or his wooing was consensual. His messages show the contrary. He let the victim know that he was the District Attorney, and he had the power. Her physical attractiveness paled before his awesomeness. It is also apparent from his text messages that this was nothing new for him. The messages progressed from a kind of concern to demands.
At any rate, his claims of innocence, and harmlessness are not keeping the demands of his ouster at bay.
His latest attempt to slither out of this predicament is to place himself on indefinite medical leave. I suspect he will next attempt a medical resignation to try to avoid consequences for his actions.
It wasn’t too long ago that Kratz was the darling. Now the voices clamoring for his resignation or ouster are growing. The pile‑on is a result of his misbehavior. Unlike those whom he and those like him attempted to undermine with repeated public accusations, he is has skewered himself.
Tell me, District Attorney Ken Kratz. How does it feel? It won’t stop.
by Brian McCorkle
in category Prosecutor Ken Kratz Scandal
