JP holds late night hearing for jailed prosecutor

Flathead County Justice of the Peace Mark Sullivan showed up at the Flathead County Detention Center at 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, to conduct an initial appearance hearing for Flathead County deputy attorney Kenneth Park.

Park, 46, was arrested Friday night at his Kila home after his wife called 911 for help at 9:26 p.m. She had reported that her husband had been drinking and throwing things at her, a problem she claimed had been going on for a while but had gotten worse. She complained of a bruised arm and scratched ankle.

Park was arrested by sheriff’s deputies without incident and charged with partner-family member assault, a misdemeanor. His attorney, Thane Johnson, subsequently contacted Sullivan and asked him to come to the county jail.

As a result of the unusual after-midnight hearing, Park was released on his own recognizance and didn’t have to sit in a jail cell until Monday, when the two county justices of the peace have regular hours.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said he was unfamiliar with the details of the case but thought the special hearing was unusual and unacceptable.

“In my 27 years of law enforcement, I have not seen a judge have someone appear before them after midnight,” he said. “We’re very much about equal treatment for people regardless of what they do for a living, and this case is no different than any other case, even though we may work with the defendant or know him personally.”

It’s possible some of the people Park prosecuted were in the county jail, which raises safety issues, but segregated cells are available for prisoners who need protection.