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Gov. Doyle says he’ll ‘evaluate’ accused prosecutor

By: WISCONSIN LAW JOURNAL STAFF//September 20, 2010//

Gov. Doyle says he’ll ‘evaluate’ accused prosecutor

By: WISCONSIN LAW JOURNAL STAFF//September 20, 2010//

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FILE - This March 2007 file photo shows Calumet County District Attorney Kenneth Kratz giving his closing argument in the Steven Avery trial in the courtroom in Chilton, Wis. Police say Kratz sent repeated text messages trying to spark an affair with a domestic abuse victim while he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
FILE – This March 2007 file photo shows Calumet County District Attorney Kenneth Kratz giving his closing argument in the Steven Avery trial in the courtroom in Chilton, Wis. Police say Kratz sent repeated text messages trying to spark an affair with a domestic abuse victim while he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday that he will start an evaluation process to determine whether embattled Calumet County District Attorney Kenneth R. Kratz should be removed from office.

Several groups, including the Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association, had recommended Kratz’s removal after he admitted last week to sending 30 text messages to a domestic abuse victim half his age while prosecuting the woman’s ex-boyfriend.

A second incident came to light Monday when Doyle’s office released a letter from another woman who alleged that after a dinner, during which he discussed private elements of a case, Kratz invited her to accompany him to an autopsy.

Doyle said the second incident will be further investigated, but said that, if true, it would be “mind-boggling” and “unimaginable” behavior.

“If an attempt was made to use an autopsy as some sort of a lure…that is beyond anything you could imagine,” he said. Click here to subscribe to Wisconsin Law Journal today

Once a formal complaint is filed in Calumet County, Doyle said a commission will be set up and a hearing will be held on the matter, after which time he will determine whether Kratz should be removed from office.

Doyle said he hopes to begin the process within 30 days.

Earlier on Monday, Kratz went on medical leave for an undisclosed period of time and also hired attorney Robert J. Craanen to defend against attempts to remove him from office.

Kratz, whose has been the district attorney since 1992, has said that he would not resign and planned to run again when his current term expires in 2012.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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