Staff Reports
Juvenile Magistrate Lindsey Holden-Kay has stepped down from that position to announce she is seeking the GOP nomination for Bartholomew County prosecutor in 2022.
Holden-Kay said in her announcement that her decision to leave the bench to pursue the prosecutor position is her extreme concern over the rising local crime rates and what she described as the continued lack of prosecutorial response.
“Having previously served as a deputy prosecutor and now, a Judicial Officer, I’ve had the unique privilege of experiencing, observing, and assessing how cases are filed by the prosecutor’s office, and how the policies of that office affect others in the criminal justice system and our community.
“As prosecutor, I will be able to make immediate changes that will make our criminal justice system more effective in order to make Bartholomew County a safer place to live and raise a family,” she said in her announcement.
Former Bartholomew County Sheriff Mark Gorbett will chair Holden-Kay’s campaign committee and former Republican GOP Party Chairwoman Barb Hackman is serving as her committee’s treasurer.
So far, only one other Republican has announced for county prosecutor, current Chief Deputy Prosecutor Greg Long, who announced in January he would seek the position after Prosecutor Bill Nash said he would not seek re-election in 2022.
Candidates for the 2022 election cannot officially file to run for office until Jan. 5.
Holden-Kay previously served as the prosecutor assigned to the Columbus Police Department’s Intelligence Led Policing Unit, assisting with the unit’s focus on repeat offenders. She frequently assisted the Joint Narcotic’s Enforcement Team (JNET) and led the prosecution of the Aryan Brotherhood gang that was trafficking narcotics in the Bartholomew County Jail.
In 2019, Holden-Kay successfully prosecuted Ruel Pedigo for the tragic death of Patrick Bowman, who was killed when Pedigo, accused of driving under the influence of methamphetamine, struck Bowman’s vehicle which was stopped at a traffic light.
Bowman’s parents, Rick and Judy Bowman, support Holden-Kay’s bid for prosecutor saying, “Lindsey handled Patrick’s case with the utmost level of professionalism and compassion. The case was well-prepared and well-presented to the jury resulting in a quick verdict and a 13-year prison sentence. We also appreciated how she stayed in touch with us so we knew how the case was progressing and she was always more than willing to answer our many questions.”
Judge Kathleen “Kitty” Coriden also expressed support for Holden-Kay, stating, “Lindsey has always handled herself with confidence in the courtroom. She’s well-prepared and she’s tough. She is firm when appropriate, but fair in her assessment of cases and she is an extremely skilled trial lawyer. The prosecutor’s office has long needed to evolve. Lindsey is the right person to lead that change.”
Before moving to Columbus with her family, Holden-Kay began her career as deputy prosecuting attorney in Indianapolis, where she prosecuted drug, gun, and gang crimes. She earned her law degree from Indiana University. She is married and has two children.
