BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A partnership between the Kern County District Attorney’s Office and the Open Door Network has ended after a dispute over public comments made by the nonprofit’s chief executive about ongoing criminal cases.
Open Door Network CEO Lauren Skidmore said Wednesday that the DA’s office abruptly terminated its contract related to the Kern Family Justice Center. According to the DA’s office, the decision was tied to concerns about ethical conduct and public statements about active criminal cases.
A letter dated Sept. 16, 2025, from Kern County Assistant District Attorney Ken Russell asked Skidmore to stop making public comments regarding ongoing criminal prosecutions.
Attached to the letter were publications in which Skidmore was quoted discussing the criminal case against former Cal State Bakersfield basketball coach Kevin Mays and the abuse case involving Genesis Mata.
“These are serious cases, and while we share your outrage involving the conduct, commenting on these cases while they are pending in court can cause serious issue without ability to prosecute the case,” Russell wrote.
The letter cited California Rules of Professional Conduct 3.6(a) and 3.8(e), which limit what attorneys can say publicly about ongoing proceedings.
Russell also noted that attorneys and staff in the district attorney’s office are instructed to avoid discussing the merits of a case while it is pending.
Skidmore said those rules should not apply to her because she is not an attorney.
“I immediately was disappointed, kind of working through some frustration, misunderstanding of how we got to this point,” Skidmore said.
The agreement between the Open Door Network and the Family Justice Center references a partner manual that outlines expectations for participating organizations.
In the September letter, Russell acknowledged Skidmore is not an employee of the district attorney’s office but wrote that she frequently appears alongside prosecutors, victim advocates and law enforcement.
Because of that, he said a defense attorney could argue she is a “person assisting or associated with prosecuting a criminal case.”
Skidmore said she believed the letter applied only to her personal comments and did not signal that the nonprofit’s contract was in jeopardy.
She said the termination notice came three days after she stood beside the Scrivner family at a press conference advocating for reforms to California’s mental health diversion law after diversion was granted to former Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner.
“My only thought processes, considering the letter came just a few days after I was in Sacramento advocating on behalf of victims against mental health diversion, that that has something to do with it,” Skidmore said.
She added that she is “really disappointed for victims.”
In a statement Wednesday, the district attorney’s office defended the decision.
“Partners with the Family Justice Center are expected to follow ethical rules and take direction to ensure compliance with these rules,” the office wrote. “The District Attorney’s Office will not allow unethical conduct by nonprofit partners who value publicity over ethical prosecution to jeopardize the most serious cases we prosecute.”
The office also said it attempted to schedule meetings with Skidmore in September to address the issue.
“The lack of professionalism and refusal to take direction on appropriate ethical conduct exhibited by Ms. Skidmore, combined with the existence of more comprehensive alternatives that will better serve victims factored into the decision to seek new partnerships for the Family Justice Center,” the statement said.
Skidmore acknowledged the office requested a meeting but said when she asked for more details about the discussion, she did not receive a response.
The district attorney’s office said it will announce new partnerships for the Family Justice Center in the coming weeks.
Skidmore said the Open Door Network will continue offering resources and victim services at its downtown Bakersfield location on 19th Street.
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