By Staff
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Anita Khandelwal (Photo from King County)
On Sept. 18, Anita Khandelwal, the director of King County’s Department of Public Defense (DPD), resigned abruptly. According to PubliCola, she declined to share her reason for quitting the department. However, multiple sources did express to PubliCola that “she said she was exhausted after leading DPD for the last six years, including during the COVID pandemic.”
In an email to staff, she wrote, “I am proud of my small role in helping build a community where we show our clients and each other compassion in the face of a system that has none. I will always reflect on our work together with awe and humility. There is no place like DPD, and to have been part of it is my good fortune.”
As director, Khandelwal was initially appointed to a four-year term by the county executive in October 2018, before being reappointed in 2022. She has partnered with several community-based organizations in an effort to reduce the reach and impact of a system that disproportionately harms poor, marginalized, and BIPOC communities.
According to the King County website, “Under her leadership, the department played a key role in the passage of a law that ensures youth can access counsel prior to a custodial interrogation or a search; led statewide efforts to fundamentally transform dependency law in the state; developed a litigation and amicus strategy that has advanced the rights of our clients; developed a legislative strategy to mitigate the harms of the criminal legal system; and strengthened our post-conviction work, helping to reduce egregiously long prison sentences.”
Matt Sanders, one of four managing attorneys for the division, will replace Khandelwal on an interim basis. Khandelwal’s last day will be Oct. 4.