Anchorage judge publicly reprimanded for driving drunk

The reprimand came at the request of the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct, which last week ordered that Judge Patrick McKay be publicly reprimanded, continue alcohol abuse treatment and provide the commission and the courts with treatment completion records.

"Judge McKay, I and all of my colleagues take this as a very serious matter," said Walter L. Carpeneti, chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court, as McKay stood before the five justices with hands clasped in front of him.

Not only had McKay hurt himself with his unlawful behavior, but he damaged the judiciary, Carpeneti said.

"Your intelligence tells you how this sort of thing can never happen again," the justice said.

Marla N. Greenstein, executive director of the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct, said the commission wanted McKay publicly reprimanded because under the Code of Judicial Conduct, judges are to follow the law and uphold the integrity of the judiciary.

McKay, 57, pleaded no contest in October to the misdemeanor of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. His blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit when he was pulled over for a traffic violation on a major thoroughfare. A 16-ounce water bottle with red wine in it was found on the passenger seat.

McKay said he was thankful no one was injured the night of Aug. 27, 2009, when he was stopped.

He was ordered to spend five days in a correctional halfway house, pay a $1,500 fine and was placed on three years' probation. His license was revoked for 90 days and an ignition interlock device was placed on his car for one year.

McKay was told to enter the Anchorage Alcohol Safety Action Program and receive treatment for alcohol abuse -- something he said was already being done.

"I deserve this. I accept this," the judge said after Thursday's reprimand. "I would like to apologize to my family and colleagues."

Twenty-two years ago, McKay was convicted of drunken driving and received a mandatory minimum sentence of three days in jail.

McKay was appointed to Superior Court in 2005 by then-Gov. Frank Murkowski. He is back on the bench and hearing cases, a court administrator said.