Prosecutor’s Future in Limbo After Wife’s Trial

In a case that leaves the fate of the county’s No. 2 prosecutor in question, a jury Wednesday rejected claims by his wife, a fellow prosecutor, that she was discriminated against by the agency because of her gender and ethnicity.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Victoria Chen, who has been on a leave of absence since 1997, had claimed her supervisors passed her up for promotions and unfairly disciplined her because she is an Asian American woman and married to Devallis Rutledge, currently the chief assistant district attorney.

Rutledge was stripped of his supervisorial duties at the onset of the trial, which began Jan. 18, to avoid any conflicts of interest, said district attorney spokeswoman Tori Richards. He has retained the title, she said, but his future is unclear.

“It hasn’t been decided as far as what his job position is,” said Richards, who added the trial was a distraction and stressful for the office employees who had to testify.

Outside court Wednesday, Rutledge said, “My prospects are in the hands of the district attorney.”

Rutledge, a respected prosecutor known for his expertise in Miranda rights, was a strong supporter of Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas in the 1998 election.

The judge in the case dismissed large portions of Chen’s lawsuit, including allegations against former Dist. Atty. Mike Capizzi and three other supervisors. The judge also dismissed Chen’s claim that she was targeted by Rutledge’s detractors in the office. The couple married in 1993 while both worked in the agency.

On Wednesday, the jury of seven men and five women considered only the claims of race and gender bias. Chen’s attorney, Niall Sweetnam, said the couple will consider whether to appeal.