Supports Estelle

To the editor:

I endorse William Estelle to be retained as a judge. In January 1898, Emile Zola penned his famous letter J’accuse to protest a misrepresentation of justice. Like him, I am compelled to write a letter about the gross misrepresentation of justice in the attack on Judge William Estelle. I have known Judge Estelle for over 25 years. He is compassionate, honest, and impartial; he takes his job seriously. So seriously that he immediately filed a self-report at his discovery he had accidentally signed two inaccurate pay affidavits.

The Alaska Judicial Conduct Commission found Judge Estelle “did not act intentionally” nor did he “intentionally falsify” his pay affidavits (quoted from the ACJC File No.: 2013-0040). In eight similar Alaskan cases, judges were reprimanded but not suspended for such an act, as was Judge Estelle. In fact, the hearing transcript indicates that in 62 similar inaccurate pay affidavit cases nation-wide, not one judge was dealt with in such a punitive fashion.

This punitive treatment of Judge Estelle brings to mind a conversation I overheard 11 years ago when Mr. Estelle became Judge Estelle. My husband and I were dining at an Anchorage restaurant when Estelle’s name was mentioned by men at a nearby table. These individuals all wore suits, unusual attire for casual Anchorage. I expected to hear them speak in congratulatory terms for a fellow lawyer. Not so. They spoke in a vicious and hostile manner in an antagonistic attack on an individual I knew, and it was clear that a malignant force sat at that table. The hairs on the back of my neck actually rose. I had a similar experience during the height of the Vietnam War: businessmen diners at a nearby table who gloated over the fortunes they were making. The casualties and destruction were immaterial so long as money could be made. Just as I felt myself in the presence of evil over 40 years ago, I felt an emanation of evil 11 years ago.

A witchhunt with Judge Estelle as the martyred victim seems evident. Of great concern is that the hunters, members of the judicial system on whom we rely for fair and impartial treatment, have demonstrated themselves to be capable of virulent behavior. Shame on them.

I intend to vote yes to retain Judge Estelle, and I encourage you to do so as well.

Ginny Lawton

Palmer