Former Brendan Dassey lawyer Len Kachinsky jailed over restraining order
By Jim Hagerty
Reporter
OSHKOSH, Wis. – Len Kachinsky, the former lawyer for “Making a Murderer” subject Brendan Dassey, was jailed Monday for allegedly violating a restraining order.
According to court records, Kachinsky, now a Fox Crossing municipal judge, was released Tuesday morning, ahead of an announcement by Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett about whether the state would seek to keep Kachinsky in custody while charges are sorted out.
The former public defender’s arrest stems from allegations by his court clerk that he has been harassing her since 2017. Kachinsky denies the claims.
“It is a disagreement between a boss and employee about how things should be run and how the personal rapport should be in the office,” he said earlier this year. “And I think that’s what it is, not anything better or worse than that. It’s something that happens in offices all over the country.”
The clerk was granted a temporary order of protection against Kachinsky in January. She claims that last April, Kachinsky started sending her personal emails and posting information about her on his Facebook page. She says she asked him to stop and that they keep their relationship professional and focused on work.
Court documents allege that Kachinsky continued contacting her and retaliated against her for seeking the restraining order. She says he filed undue letters of reprimand against her, made “cat noises” toward her, and sent her an email that allegedly said to stop “using the village administration as a crutch” and that he can’t “tolerate a weakling unwilling to have free and open discussion with the boss.” She says she received the message the day she found an envelope with blood smeared on it she says Kachinsky left on her desk.
The restraining order was re-issued on June 19 and expires on May 1, 2019. It prohibits Kachinsky from having contact with the clerk other than through work-related functions and communications.
Details of the current allegations have not been disclosed. Officials say they involve messages he recently sent her. R.