Gallina trial is lacking a judge
By Terry Murry on Friday, February 5th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
ASOTIN – Scott Gallina was charged in April 2019 with numerous sexual misconduct charges. The former superior court judge for Asotin, Garfield, and Columbia counties is scheduled to go on trial in April, but currently he doesn’t have a judge. A Spokane magistrate was temporarily assigned to the three counties, but a permanent replacement, Brooke Burns, was sworn in last month. She won’t take the case.
Burns worked with Gallina and she has recused herself from taking the bench in the trial. The Lewiston Tribune reports that Burns has contacted Walla Walla County for a judge to handle the pretrial hearing and trial in Asotin County Superior Court.
Gallina posted bond shortly after he was arrested. The 57-year-old man is no longer on the payroll of the state or the three counties where he served. He is charged with second-degree rape, indecent liberties, and four counts of third-degree assault concerning two women who were county employees when he was on the bench.
Gallina has entered not guilty pleas to all the charges against him.
