Fultz attorney wants at least a year to prepare for retrial on charges of sexually assaulting patients
- Mark Sabbatini
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Public defender appointed after jury hung on most charges in first trial of chiropractor seeks longer delay than discussed last fall during hearing Wednesday; next hearing set for April 15
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
The case of a Juneau chiropractor accused of sexually assaulting more than a dozen patients between 2014 and 2020, with a jury unable to reach a verdict on most charges last September, may extend at least another year if his attorney’s request to delay the retrial until then is granted.
Jeffrey Fultz is being retried on 13 charges involving alleged actions at a clinic, including "nonconsensual sexual contact" of patients. Three other charges were dismissed, with a jury acquitting Fultz on two of them following a six-week trial and Judge Larry Woolford subsequently dismissing the other, stating the alleged victim’s testimony didn’t meet the legal definition of the sexual assault charge.
That outcome resulted in a bill being introduced by a Juneau legislator to change the definition of sexual assault.
Fultz testified during the trial he was providing legitimate treatment to his accusers.
Nicholas Ambrose, a state public defender appointed to represent Fultz after the first trial, said during a readiness hearing on Wednesday at the Juneau courthouse he will need at least a year to prepare for the retrial, according to Krystyn Tendy, a prosecutor in the case. She said the prosecution is opposing that request.
Ambrose, during a similar hearing in December, said he needs to be fully familiar with the case. A rushed process, he said, could result in an outcome such as an appeals court ruling Fultz was wrongly convicted, which could take years longer to resolve than delaying the current case.
At that time the possibility of a retrial starting this summer was discussed by the judge and attorneys.
Attempts by the Juneau Independent to contact Ambrose on Thursday were not immediately successful.
The next status hearing in the case is scheduled April 15.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
