Prosecutors

Citing Privilege Issues, Cuomo Aides Remove Some AG Documents from Archives

Reporters from the Albany Times Union noticed a curious thing when reviewing archives from the New York attorney general. Documents relating to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s time in the AG’s office were disappearing. The New York Times and the Times Union have the answer to the mystery: Cuomo’s aides…

Jul 24, 2012 3:02 PM CDT

Federal Judge Blasts US Prosecutors for ‘Unbelievably Inexcusable Behavior’ in Somali Piracy Case

Visibly angry and getting more so after learning shortly before trial that prosecutors could place a Somali piracy case defendant in international waters for only 24 to 28 minutes, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., gave them a piece of her mind. Saying that she was “misled” by a government…

Jul 23, 2012 10:11 PM CDT

Chicago Committee OKs $5.375M Police Torture Case Settlement; Ex-Mayor Daley May Not Have to Testify

A Chicago city council finance committee Monday recommended that members OK a $5.375 million settlement to conclude a case of claimed police torture. If approved on Wednesday by the full city council, it will be paid to Michael Tillman. He served well over 20 years for a rape and murder…

Jul 23, 2012 7:58 PM CDT

Lawyers’ Defense of Judge in Criminal Trial Leads to Contempt Case, Ethics Complaint

A South Texas judge acquitted on all counts in a criminal bribery trial last year apparently is not complaining about her representation by defense lawyers Theresa Caballero and Stuart Leeds during what news accounts portray as an extraordinarily hard-fought and contentious trial. However, both the judge who presided over the…

Jul 17, 2012 5:11 PM CDT

Defense Lawyer, Backed by ACLU, Sues Los Angeles DA, Says Exculpatory Evidence Is Often Withheld

A California defense lawyer has sued Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley contending that prosecutors in his office are routinely instructed to suppress exculpatory evidence that they are required by law to disclose to their opposing counsel. Backed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and two…

Jul 11, 2012 4:28 PM CDT

Feds Say DA Got $80K, Judge Got $10K As They Conspired to Obtain Part of Murderer’s $500K Bail Bond

More details are emerging in an ongoing judicial corruption case in federal court in South Texas that federal authorities say involved, in addition to other alleged misconduct by multiple defendants, a conspiracy between a district attorney, a judge and a friendly lawyer representing the children of a murder victim. The…

Jul 2, 2012 10:45 PM CDT

New York AG Sues Ex-NARAL Prez, Accuses Her of Using $250K in Charity Money to Fund Lavish Lifestyle

A former president of NARAL Pro-Choice New York is being sued by the state attorney general for allegedly misappropriating some $250,000 in charitable contributions to fund her own lavish lifestyle. Kelli Conlin pleaded guilty to criminal charges a year ago, and her lawyer in that case, Robert Anello, said it…

Jul 2, 2012 10:04 PM CDT

Holder Contempt Vote Scheduled for Today; DOJ Could Cite Ted Olson Opinion

The U.S. House is scheduled to vote today on whether to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for refusing to turn over documents in the flawed gun-walking probe known as Operation Fast and Furious. The vote is expected to be held this afternoon, unless a last-minute deal is reached,…

Jun 28, 2012 12:57 PM CDT

Lawyer for John Edwards Hits Failed High-Profile Prosecutions, Seeks Accountability

The lawyer who represented former Sen. John Edwards in his trial for campaign fraud says prosecutors need to be held accountable for bad judgments. Jurors acquitted Edwards last month on one charge and deadlocked on five other counts. The Justice Department won’t retry the case. Edwards’ lead lawyer, Abbe Lowell…

Jun 27, 2012 11:00 AM CDT

Brooklyn DA Charges 4 Ultra-Orthodox Men in Unusual Witness-Intimidation Case

After weeks of controversy over a New York prosecutor’s routine policy of not identifying ultra-Orthodox Jewish defendants in sex-crime cases, in order to encourage victims to come forward without fear of harassment, an unusual case has been brought against four men from the community who allegedly tried to intimidate a…

Jun 21, 2012 10:32 PM CDT

Ex-DA Answers Question: ‘Why Would Somebody So Smart Do Something So Stupid?’

Testifying in his own defense on Tuesday before a referee in a disciplinary case, a former Wisconsin district attorney explained the answer to a self-posed question: “Why would somebody so smart do something so stupid?” The answer, Ken Kratz said, was a combination of issues: His long-standing sex addiction was…

Jun 19, 2012 10:06 PM CDT

DA Petitions Wisconsin Supreme Court to Allow Him to Carry His Gun in Local Courthouse

The district attorney in Wisconsin’s Winnebago County is clashing with local judges over his desire to carry his gun to work at the courthouse. District Attorney Christian Gossett says the state’s concealed carry law allows prosecutors to carry guns to court as long as they have a concealed weapons permit,…

Jun 19, 2012 1:40 PM CDT

‘I Am the Prize’ Ex-DA Ken Kratz Takes Plea in Attorney Ethics Case re His Treatment of Women

A former Wisconsin district attorney who has said he already paid a steep price for his behavior is taking a plea in a legal ethics case brought over his claimed sexual harassment of multiple women. Kenneth Kratz announced Friday that he has reached an agreement with the Office of Lawyer…

Jun 15, 2012 8:40 PM CDT

Who Will Defend Illinois’ Gay Marriage Ban? State and Local Prosecutors Support Lambda

The prosecutor for the county that includes Chicago has conceded that Illinois’ ban on gay marriages violates the state constitution. The concession by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez leaves defense of the law to any outside group that can prove standing, the Chicago Tribune reports. The American Civil Liberties…

Jun 15, 2012 12:00 PM CDT

DA Gave Me Money, Too, Ex-Judge Testifies at Another Lawyer’s Federal Racketeering Trial

A former South Texas judge was testifying Tuesday in Brownsville in the federal racketeering trial of attorney Ray R. Marchan. But before a defense attorney successfully objected that the testimony by Abel C. Limas concerning Cameron County District Attorney Armando R. Villalobos was irrelevant, the convicted ex-judge said he had…

Jun 13, 2012 4:40 PM CDT