A former Anchorage police officer convicted of fraud is seeking a new trial, arguing he was treated unfairly because of a secret relationship between two federal prosecutors in the case, including one at the center of a scandal that ousted the presiding judge.
Former U.S. District Court Judge Joshua Kindred resigned in July of 2024, days before the release of a report by the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council detailing his sexualized relationships with two prosecutors in the Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office, including one who sent him nude photos.
At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes some of the highest-level crimes in the state, the report triggered a review of dozens of cases for conflicts of interest. Defense attorneys have argued, at least once successfully, that Kindred’s close relationships with the prosecutors meant he was susceptible to bias against their clients…