Hauge targets another judge

Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge has, for the second time in a year, prohibited a Superior Court Judge from sitting on criminal cases filed by his office.

Earlier this month, Hauge filed a motion to keep Judge Terry McCluskey from sitting on the bench for any criminal felony trials prosecuted by Hauge’s office.

“From time to time, we have to exercise our right to affidavit prejudice against a judge. For now, Judge Mc-Cluskey should not hear some of our cases,” Hauge said.

In 2002, Hauge filed an affidavit of prejudice against Judge Anna Laurie.

That earlier motion was filed after Laurie refused a prosecutorial request for a murder charge in a case where a Bremerton man allegedly shot at a police officer and missed, but hit and killed a police dog.

Hauge denied published reports that the affidavit filed against McCluskey had anything to do with a recent case in which McCluskey denied a prosecutorial request to raise bail for an alleged sex offender.

“This is absolutely not related to any recent bail decisions by Judge McCluskey,” Hauge said.

Hauge said he doubted this second affidavit would affect the court’s calendar in any serious way.

“It should not affect the running of the calendar. We work closely with the court administrator (Madelyn Botta),” Hauge said.

Superior Court Judge Karlynn Haberly has currently replaced McCluskey in the judicial rotation.

McCluskey could not be reached for comment.

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