Judge’s Accuser Guilty of Drunk Driving

A cocktail waitress, who claimed that San Pedro Municipal Judge David M. Kennick offered to dismiss a pending case against her in exchange for sexual favors, was convicted Thursday of two drunk driving counts, and prosecutors subsequently expressed skepticism about the woman’s allegation against the judge, noting that they were never made at trial.

“I find it significant that no additional information was brought out in support of those allegations,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Stephen A. Sowders, head of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s Special Investigations Division, said.

Last week, Sowders said his office was reviewing the charge made by Mary Davis, who works at Cigo’s, a restaurant near the San Pedro courthouse. On Thursday, he fell short of announcing that the inquiry would be dropped, saying that first he wanted an attorney in his section to discuss the matter with the trial prosecutor.

That prosecutor, however, said he also found it noteworthy that Davis’ attorney never asked her about the allegation against Kennick while she was on the stand.

“Everything comes out at trial,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Joseph Markus. “If there was something there, it would have come out. . . . The allegation should be questioned.”

Davis, 45, of Lomita, told reporters last week that Kennick propositioned her at Cigo’s the night after her Feb. 22, 1985, arrest. She said she did not agree to have sex with him.

Kennick, 48, who is being challenged in the June 3 election, could not be reached Thursday, but last week he denied Davis’ charge, branding it a smear.

Convicted after a six-day trial, Davis was sentenced to three years’ summary probation, with fines and penalty assessments of $665, by Mendocino County Municipal Judge Ronald R. Combest. Los Angeles Municipal Judge Ronald S. Coen decided to bring in an outside judge after Davis’ attorney, William C. Case Jr., subpoenaed Kennick. But the Santa Ana lawyer never called Kennick to the stand.