Judge plans to fight courthouse rape, sex assault charges

SEATTLE (AP) — A judge in southeastern Washington has been charged with rape and other crimes which authorities say took place in the Asotin County Courthouse, authorities said Thursday.

State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said his office charged Superior Court Judge Scott D. Gallina with second-degree rape, fourth-degree sexual assault and indecent liberties. Gallina, 55, was arrested Wednesday at the courthouse.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael Price on Thursday issued a sexual assault protective order for one alleged victim and ordered Gallina to turn in his keys to the courthouse, Ferguson said.

Gallina posted $50,000 bail Thursday, The Lewiston Tribune reported . Gallina’s attorney Carl Oreskovich told The Associated Press his client adamantly denies the allegations and plans to enter not guilty pleas at his May 6 arraignment.

“It’s just incredulous that during a courtroom break when there are people in the courtroom and staff that come and go, that numerous incidents are alleged to have occurred in judge’s chambers. He’s looking forward to getting in the courtroom, cross-examining witnesses and exposing the truth,” Oreskovich said.

Gallina began harassing and sexually assaulting one Asotin County Courthouse employee shortly after the person starting working there in May 2017 and it continued until Gallina’s arrest, according to probable cause documents. All the charges are related to that employee although investigators interviewed a total of nine courthouse employees who reported varying degrees of sexual misconduct by Gallina over several years, documents said. cont.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/asotin-county-judge-charged-with-rape-sex-assault-at-courthouse/