Big Island Prosecutor Won’t Handle TMT Arrests Because Of Son’s Job
Mitch Roth, whose son works at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has sent the cases to the Hawaii attorney general’s office to avoid a conflict of interest.
HONOLULU (AP) — To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, the Hawaii attorney general’s office will take over prosecution of protesters arrested for blocking construction of a giant telescope.
Big Island prosecutor Mitch Roth said Wednesday he turned over the cases in response to an Associated Press story highlighting concerns that his son’s employment with a telescope partner is a possible conflict.
His son works at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Those who work at that research facility are employed by the California Institute of Technology, a Thirty Meter Telescope partner.
Roth says he doesn’t believe it’s a conflict, but he asked for opinions from the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel and the county’s ethics board.
Attorney General spokesman Krishna Jayaram says it’s unfortunate “mere allegations of a conflict became newsworthy.”
