No License to Lie
Oregon State Bar has tough questions for Kyla Mazhary-Clark
Within two weeks of being notified that one of its licensees was indicted on three counts of perjury, the Oregon State Bar has commenced an inquiry into attorney Kyla Mazhary-Clark, and advanced the matter to its disciplinary office for investigation. That’s fast.
In a letter sent last week, the Bar requested Mazhary-Clark answer the same questions that prosecutors will be asking her as her criminal matter progresses: namely, to explain the three false statements she allegedly made in order to win custody of another woman’s children.
However, the Bar went above and beyond those charges of perjury, and identified three additional statements Mazhary-Clark made, which the Bar apparently believes are lies. More importantly, the Bar asked Mazhary-Clark to provide some receipts to back up those claims — something that no judge involved in the custody case had yet bothered to ask her for, remarkably. The Bar gave Mazhary-Clark until early November to respond to its questions.
A public official familiar with the case, but who did not want to speak on the record, opined that the matter “appears to be widening,” and was puzzled why Mazhary-Clark is not also facing kidnapping charges.
Mazhary-Clark was arraigned yesterday morning, in a virtual courtroom that was closed off to members of the media, despite numerous requests that they be allowed to attend.
Such secrecy does not instill public confidence in the courts, or dissuade from the impression that there is a two-tiered justice system in Oregon: one for attorneys accused of crimes, and the other for everyone else.
There was no plea entered during the arraignment, and a pre-trial conference is now set for November 30th. According to an order signed by Lincoln County Judge Sheryl Bachart — who is handling the case for Linn County — Mazhary-Clark is now represented by attorney Kristen Tranetzki* of the Portland-based Angeli Law Group.
Today, Mazhary-Clark’s own calendar for her work as a court-appointed public defender shows that she appeared in two hearings in front of Judge Rachel Kittson-MaQtish — the very judge to whom Mazhary-Clark allegedly perjured herself.
One cannot help but wonder if those indigent defendants are getting adequate representation during this difficult period of Mazhary-Clark’s life, and whether or not her personal problems are causing bias in Judge Kittson-MaQatish’s courtroom.
*** This story was updated to reflect the name of the attorney who filed in to represent Mazhary-Clark.
