In May, an Anchorage man called 911, admitting to assaulting his wife. When police arrived, they found her with severe injuries, including a swollen-shut eye. The man brazenly told officers they were “late” and that his wife could have been dead.
Four months later, prosecutors dropped the assault charges, not due to insufficient evidence, but because the city’s legal system lacked the lawyers to bring the case to trial. This is just one of many cases in Anchorage where defendants are being let off due to a shortage of prosecutors.
The Anchorage legal system has dismissed over 930 misdemeanor cases since May for the same reason: an attorney shortage. The cases include serious allegations like child abuse, drunk driving, domestic violence, and animal cruelty.
Despite the gravity of the charges, the city couldn’t meet Alaska’s legal requirement to take these cases to trial within 120 days, leading to mass dismissals. This backlog is causing distress for victims and law enforcement alike, as justice for many serious crimes is not being served.
Particularly alarming is the high number of domestic violence cases that have been dismissed. Alaska already has the highest rate of women killed by men in the nation, and over 250 domestic violence cases have been dropped since May.
Anchorage Struggles with Prosecutor Shortage Leading to Dismissal of Serious Criminal Cases
These include disturbing charges of men assaulting their wives or girlfriends, and even a case involving a state official accused of hitting his girlfriend. The inability to prosecute these cases leaves victims feeling unprotected and sends a troubling message to perpetrators.
The root of the problem lies in two main factors: a court system overwhelmed by delays and a city prosecutor’s office struggling to retain staff.
For years, Alaska’s courts have been plagued by backlog, but the shortage of city prosecutors has now made the situation unmanageable. When defense attorneys invoked their clients’ rights to speedy trials, the city was unable to meet the deadlines, leading to widespread case dismissals.
In response to this crisis, city officials have raised pay for prosecutors and are in the process of hiring more attorneys. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, who took office in July, acknowledged the issue but was surprised by the extent of the dismissals.
Her administration is working to fix the shortage, but for now, frustration runs deep among police officers, victims, and the public. The dismissals are affecting public safety, as offenders are walking free.
Victims’ advocates have voiced their outrage. Angela Garay, from the state’s Office of Victims’ Rights, criticized the city for allowing cases to collapse due to a lack of resources.
She warned that the dismissals were a disservice to victims who had called on law enforcement for help. Garay even threatened to open an investigation if the trend continued. The failure to prosecute serious misdemeanors undermines the faith in the justice system.
Although many of the dismissed cases are misdemeanors, they often involve severe allegations like child neglect, abuse, and repeat DUI offenses.
For instance, in one dismissed case, a woman with a prior DUI was found with a blood alcohol level more than four times the legal limit, yet the case was dropped because the speedy trial deadline had expired. This trend of dismissal is troubling, as it leaves serious crimes unaddressed.
Attorney Kara Nyquist, who represents domestic violence victims, has a unique perspective on the crisis, having been a victim herself. Nyquist had secured a restraining order against another attorney, but the city dropped the case when the trial deadline expired.
She now advises her clients that they cannot rely on the city to prosecute their cases. The lack of accountability emboldens abusers and threatens to escalate the problem of domestic violence in Anchorage.
City officials have recognized the severity of the problem and are taking steps to address it. Pay increases for prosecutors have been implemented, and efforts are underway to hire and retain more attorneys.
However, the pool of available lawyers is small, and the process of onboarding new staff is slow. While domestic violence and DUI cases are being prioritized, many other cases continue to be dismissed, perpetuating the crisis.
The shortage of prosecutors has led to a demoralized legal system in Anchorage. Prosecutors, judges, and police officers are all frustrated by the backlog, and victims rarely have a chance to see justice served.
The city’s legal system remains overwhelmed, as efforts to hire more staff and reduce the backlog are ongoing. Until these efforts yield results, the dismissal of serious cases will likely continue, leaving victims without recourse and offenders unpunished.
