Legendary 9th Circuit Judge Accused Of Harassment Steps Down

PALOS VERDES, CA – A U.S. appeals court judge announced his retirement Monday just days after six women accused him of sexual misconduct.

Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a statement that a battle over the accusations would not be good for the judiciary, according to Daily Mail. Kozinski, from Rancho Palos Verdes said he'll step down, effective immediately.

The chief judge of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals called last Thursday for an investigation of Pasadena-based jurist Alex Kozinski, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least six women.

Judge Sidney R. Thomas issued an order calling for the probe in response to the allegations included in an article by The Washington Post. It was unclear if Thomas' call for an investigation was the result of a complaint filed with the court, or an independent action by Thomas.

Thomas asked the U.S. Supreme Court to assign the investigation into Kozinski to another judicial circuit.

According to The Post report, six women – all of them former clerks or junior staffers – contend that Kozinski had subjected them to inappropriate sexual conduct or comments. One of the women, a former clerk, said Kozinski showed her pornography in his chambers on at least three occasions.

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City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Photo: Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Alex Kozinski (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)