Norm Maleng

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Norm Maleng (1939 - May 24, 2007) was the King County, Washington prosecuting attorney for 28 years and one of Washington's judicial leaders. [1]

Maleng was born in Acme, Washington, and grew up on a dairy farm. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1960, then served as an officer in the military. He obtained his law degree in 1966 from the University of Washington Law School, was elected as prosecutor in 1978, and was re-elected seven times. [2][3]

He was the prosecutor in a number of high-profile cases most notably the 1983 Wah Mee massacre, the July 2006 Seattle Jewish Federation shooting committed by Naveed Afzal Haq, and Gary Ridgway known as the Green River killer. Maleng was also a leader in criminal justice issues most notably as an architect of Washington's Sentencing Reform Act. [4]

In the 1980s, Maleng's office prosecuted Steven Titus for the rape of young woman in an area near the Seattle-Tacoma Airport. After an investigation pursued by a newspaper reporter, Paul Henderson, it was learned that the Port of Seattle police department had committed serious integrity and evidence violations, incriminating Steve Titus for a crime he did not commit. It was also determined that Malengs own prosecutor in the case had acted recklessly, disregarding testimony which established that Steve could not possibly have committed the crime. The guilty verdict was ultimately thrown out, and Paul Henderson received a Pulitzer Prize in 1982 for his investigation leading to the release of Steve Titus. Malengs office was not held accountable for their part in this fiasco.

Maleng was a Republican, and ran for the Republican nomination for Governor of Washington in 1988 and 1996 . In 1992, he lost an election for Attorney General to Christine Gregoire. [5]

He died of a cardiac arrest at an event at the University of Washington on May 24, 2007. [6]

In December 2007 the King County Regional Justice Center in Kent, was renamed in his honor.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Local News | Longtime prosecutor Norm Maleng dies | Seattle Times Newspaper
  2. ^ Local News | Longtime prosecutor Norm Maleng dies | Seattle Times Newspaper
  3. ^ http://www.metrokc.gov/proatty/nkm/bio.htm
  4. ^ Local News | Longtime prosecutor Norm Maleng dies | Seattle Times Newspaper
  5. ^ Norm Maleng dead at 68
  6. ^ Local News | Longtime prosecutor Norm Maleng dies | Seattle Times Newspaper
  7. ^ Leaders gather to dedicate Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center- King County
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