||| J. David Ake |||
A prominent 9th circuit judge at San Francisco's U.S. 9th District Circuit Court of Appeals has been accused by six women who served as clerks or externs of sexual harassment including asking them to watch pornography in his chambers.
Heidi Bond, who clerked for the Pasadena Judge Alex Kozinski, says he asked her three separate times to look at images of naked people including one with college-age students that were naked. On another occasion, the judge showed her a digital flipbook that allowed users to mix and match heads, torsos, and legs to create your ideal naked woman.
While viewing the images, Kozinski asked Bond if she thought the pornography was photo-shopped or if it sexually aroused her. Bond is 41 now and says, "I was in a state of emotional shock, and what I really wanted to do was be as small as possible and make as few movements as possible and to say as little as possible to get out."
Kozinski, 67, said in a public statement that he had over 500 employees in his chambers over his 35-year career as a judge. "I would never intentionally do anything to offend anyone and it is regrettable that a handful has been offended by something I may have said or done," Kozinski said.
Another woman, Emily Murphy, says she was discussing working out with other clerks at a San Francisco hotel in 2012 when Kozinski approached her and suggested she use the gym in the 9th Circuit courthouse because other people were hardly ever there, he also said she should work out naked.
Another former clerk who didn't want to be named out of fear she may face retaliation said the judge showed her porn but refused to provide specifics so he could not identify her. It is known Kozinksi had a publicly accessible website that contained pornography but a judicial investigation found that Kozinksi did not intend for the public to be able to access the material.
The women have not filed formal complaints against Kozinksi at this time.
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