LINDQUIST: Concerns about prosecutor are well deserved

Re: “Lindquist coverage lacks context of the landscape” (TNT, 9-28).

The acknowledged friend of Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist suggests that the criticism by defense lawyers (he names none), lacks context and scathing analysis. Two whistleblower complaints were filed by Pierce County prosecutors privy to internal policies.

No prosecutor’s office in America that I know of has committed all of the following acts of abuse since Lindquist took office:

▪  Consistently disregarded court opinions regarding what is prosecutorial abuse resulting in reversals of convictions.

▪  Retaliated against law enforcement.

▪  Developed an “enemies list” of defense lawyers.

▪  Withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense.

▪  Had a case dismissed for prosecutorial vindictiveness.

▪ Sought headlines on previously discredited theories of prosecution.

▪  Attempted to influence the election of Prosecutor Guild officers.

▪  Retaliated against prosecutors who disagreed with him.

▪  Expended hundreds of thousand of public dollars on private attorney fees.

▪  Made inflammatory statements jeopardizing a defendant’s right to a fair trial.

A review of the bar complaint against Lindquist, other prosecutors and the whistleblower complaints reveal other possible abuses that have occurred with his consent and direction. Misconduct occurs elsewhere, but none have occurred on the systematic scale as allowed by Lindquist.

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 11:50 AM with the headline "LINDQUIST: Concerns about prosecutor are well deserved."