Prosecutors

Doc Film Viewers Hiss at Onscreen DA, Shown as Villain in Abused Woman’s 26-Year Murder Sentence

Viewers at the premiere of Crime after Crime hissed when the Los Angeles County District Attorney appeared onscreen at the Sundance Film Festival this week. That’s because Steve Cooley is portrayed as the villain in the story of an abused woman who served 26 years in prison for the murder…

Jan 26, 2011 1:08 AM CST

Reprimand Recommended for Lawyer Who Sent Note to Judge Advising Him to Convict

A Missouri disciplinary panel is recommending a reprimand for a St. Louis-area prosecutor who admitted passing a note to a judge hearing a case in another courtroom. The lawyer, Keith K. Cheung, admitted he asked a bailiff to hand-deliver the note to a judge hearing a case against a police…

Jan 25, 2011 4:14 PM CST

Former Prosecutor Accused of Secretly Taping Women at Tanning Salon

A former California prosecutor has been arrested on charges of child pornography and secret filming based on accusations he secretly taped a 15-year-old girl and six other women at a tanning salon. The lawyer, 43-year-old David Taylor Kaye of San Marcos, formerly worked as a deputy district attorney in Tulare…

Jan 24, 2011 12:27 PM CST

Ex-Chicago Police Commander Accused of Torturing Suspects Gets 4.5 Years for Perjury

“[A]s unrepentant during his sentencing hearing as he was during his trial,” a former Chicago police commander notorious for his claimed role in widespread torture of minority suspects that led to multiple wrongful convictions decades ago was sentenced today for perjury, writes columnist Mary Mitchell of the Chicago Sun-Times. Jon…

Jan 22, 2011 1:10 AM CST

Judge Dismisses Case Against Inmate Accused of Threatening Prosecutors

A Pennsylvania state court judge has dismissed criminal charges against an inmate accused of harassing and threatening the prosecutors who put him behind bars on a parole violation concerning an earlier stalking conviction. Although Judge William Furber Jr. believed that David Thomas Petko, 48, did in fact make the comments…

Jan 20, 2011 6:31 PM CST

Former Sexting DA Claims Immunity from Civil Suit by Domestic Abuse Victim

A former Wisconsin district attorney contends he is immune from a civil suit filed by a domestic abuse victim who claims his sexually suggestive texts violated her constitutional rights to due process and equal protection. Former Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz filed his response Friday to the civil suit…

Jan 18, 2011 4:11 PM CST

Prosecutors in One Texas County Will Use Courtroom iPads to Search Potential Jurors on Facebook

District Attorney Armando Villalobos of Cameron County, Texas, says he doesn’t want defense lawyers to be ahead of prosecutors during jury selection. Toward that end, prosecutors in his county will use iPads to check out the Facebook profiles of potential jurors, the Brownsville Herald reports. “I would like my attorneys…

Jan 18, 2011 12:35 PM CST

Conn. Prosecutor Quits Amidst Probe of Possible ‘Too-Friendly Relationship’ with Defense Lawyer

A Connecticut prosecutor has resigned, effective Feb. 1, after a probe of what the Connecticut Law Tribune describes as a possible “too-friendly relationship” with a defense lawyer who reportedly was a childhood friend. Published reports have said federal authorities have been investigating whether Waterbury State’s Attorney John Connelly treated the…

Jan 14, 2011 11:21 PM CST

Associate AG to Testify that Florida Foreclosures are in ‘Total Disarray’

An associate state attorney general is expected to tell state lawmakers today that the state’s foreclosure system is in “total disarray.” According to her prepared testimony, Patricia Conners will tell the Senate Banking Committee of a “virtual morass” of fake and faulty documents, to which so-called “foreclosure mill” have contributed…

Jan 11, 2011 7:50 PM CST

After Lawyer Loses Libel Suit re Prosecutor’s Twitter Posts, Each Vows to Ignore the Other

Apparently irked by a prosecutor’s critical posts on Facebook and Twitter, a Kentucky lawyer known for suing police officers filed a libel suit against Kenton Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders. But after Kenton Circuit Court Judge Martin Sheehan ruled last week that Sanders’ statements were simply statements of opinion and hence…

Jan 10, 2011 5:37 PM CST

Feds Join Criminal Probe of Claimed Snow-Removal Slowdown in NYC After Heavy Storm Last Week

Following news reports that New York City municipal workers may have intentionally slowed down snow removal efforts during a blizzard last week, as payback for layoffs, demotions and salary cuts, the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office has opened a criminal probe. That action follows investigations begun earlier by district attorneys in…

Jan 5, 2011 12:36 AM CST

Tough-Guy DWI Prosecutor Is Himself Charged in Drunken-Driving Case

Arrested late last Thursday and charged with driving while intoxicated, a longtime prosecutor in Galveston County, Texas, with a reputation for winning lengthy sentences in DWI cases will now get a chance to see the view from the defendant’s seat. Lester Blizzard was suspended with pay by the outgoing district…

Jan 3, 2011 9:52 PM CST

DA Can Prosecute Rape Case Against County Sheriff’s Deputy, Visiting Judge Rules

All eight superior court judges in Yakima County, Wash., have removed themselves from hearing a rape case against a sheriff’s deputy. However, the district attorney can prosecute the case if he wishes to, a visiting judge ruled yesterday, reports the Yakima Herald-Republic. Rejecting a defense argument that DA Jim Hagarty…

Dec 29, 2010 11:52 AM CST

Convicted of Murder, High-School Dropout Researches Own Case for a Decade, Wins Release

Convicted at age 22 of a murder he says he didn’t commit, Jabbar Collins saw a bleak future ahead of him. Although he’d been working toward a general equivalency high-school diploma and trying to transfer to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice before his arrest, he was now facing…

Dec 28, 2010 7:33 PM CST

Fla. Prosecutor’s Next Career Move is to Afghanistan

After five years as a prosecutor, it isn’t unusual to make a career move. But it is a rare step to head to Afghanistan to do so. Moin Kahn isn’t venturing out alone, however. The 33-year-old Florida lawyer follows his wife, who left her job with the Pinellas County Public…

Dec 28, 2010 2:30 PM CST