WISCONSIN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY HARASSING VICTIM IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE

Calumet County, Wisconsin District Attorney Ken Kratz sent a series of sexually implicit e-mails to Stephanie Van Groll while he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend for domestic violence. Among the statements in the e-mails were:

“Are u the kind of girl that likes secret contact with an older married elected DA?”

“I know this is wrong. I am such a honest guy and straight shooter.”

“You may be the tall, young, hot nymph, but i am the prize.”

At the time of the incident Kratz was chairman of the Wisconsin Crime Victims’ Rights Board which he helped to found and which has the power to reprimand public official who mistreat crime victims. With pressure from the State Department of Justice he resigned from the Board.

Apparently he broke no rule of professional conduct in sending the e-mails. The Wisconsin Department of Justice found no criminal violation. The Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation found Kratz’s behavior to be inappropriate but also found that it did not violate any rule of professional conduct.

While he may not have broken any laws or violated any rules of professional conduct his effect upon Van Groll and domestic violence victims in general cannot be overlooked and some have called for his resignation. Kratz has refused to resign and the only sanction available to the public is to defeat him when he runs for reelection in 2012.

One problem that domestic violence victims have is their inability to trust people, particularly men and authority figures after the incident. They have trouble developing trusting relationships with lawyers and therapists. Kratz’s actions made it difficult for Van Groll to cooperate in the prosecution ¹ of her ex-boyfriend. As Van Groll said, she had three days of hell as a result of the e-mails.