Prosecutors in the United States
Prosecutors in the federal system are part of the U.S. Department of Justice in the executive
branch. The Attorney General of the United States, who heads the Department of
Justice, is appointed by the President with Senate confirmation. The chief prosecutors in
the federal court districts are called U.S. attorneys and are also appointed by the President
with Senate confirmation. Within the Department of Justice is the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
which investigates crimes against the United States.
Each state also has an attorney general in the state executive branch who is usually
elected by the citizens of that state. There are also prosecutors in different regions of
the state, called state’s attorneys or district attorneys. These prosecutors are also usually
elected.
Prosecutors Misconduct in State Laws and Cases
Note: in the case of Prosecutors Misconduct in California, see here.
Prosecutors Misconduct in Texas
In Texas, a wave of convictions overturned on the basis of DNA tests prompted a series of reforms. Craig Watkins won election as Dallas County DA in 2006, and he quickly created the Conviction Integrity Unit. The unit, along with the Innocence Project of Texas, cleared up more than 400 cases of inmate-requested DNA testing that had languished in the county.
The wrongful convictions also led two Texas lawmakers to introduce measures in 2008 that would make it a crime to suppress evidence favorable to a defendant and eliminate the statute of limitations for violations. Both measures were opposed by state prosecutors and died in committee, but the bills’ sponsors plan to try again in 2010.
In 2008 the Texas legislature also considered a bill to require open-file discovery, or letting the defense see everything except prosecutors’ work product. “Some people’s idea of open discovery is: ‘I’ll read the police report to you, and don’t take notes while I do it,’ ” says Mike Ware, who heads Dallas County’s Conviction Integrity Unit. “We allow them to make a copy of the whole file.” The open-file measure was voted out of committee but too late in the session for full consideration. It, too, will be reintroduced next year.
Prosecutors Misconduct in Nevada
In Las Vegas, a federal judge dismissed a 64-count stock-fraud case last year after J. Greg Damm, an assistant U.S. Attorney, was accused of concealing exculpatory evidence. And in Miami, Florida, a federal judge censured three assistant U.S. Attorneys in April for alleged witness tampering and illegally using informants to tape defense lawyers. The judge ordered the government to pay $600,000 in defense fees for the defendant, a doctor acquitted of illegally prescribing painkillers (U.S. v. Shaygan, No. 08-21112 (S.D. Fla. April 29, 2009) (order imposing sanctions)).
“There is an easy way to fix the federal system-open- file discovery,” says David O. Marcus, a principal at Marcus Law and one of the lawyers secretly taped in the Shaygan case. “Prosecutors should be required to show the defense all the evidence, good and bad.”
Prosecutors Misconduct in North Carolina
In 2004 the North Carolina legislature took just such steps. It mandated an open-file discovery system after public outcry over the wrongful conviction and death sentence of Alan Gell. On appeal, Gell’s conviction was overturned because of exculpatory evidence that had been withheld; in a 2004 retrial he was acquitted.
The state legislature’s action helped expose misconduct in the infamous Duke University rape case in 2007. Durham County District Attorney Michael Nifong’s mishandling of the prosecution of lacrosse team members who had been falsely accused led to his disbarment and subsequent personal bankruptcy. Nifong was accused of hiding excul-patory evidence.
Prosecutors and Judges
Leading Case Law
Among the main judicial decisions on this topic:
In re Kinsey
Information about this important court opinion is available in this American legal Encyclopedia.
References
See Also
- Legal Profession
- Duties
- Lawyers
Resources
See Also
- Criminal Procedure
- District and Prosecuting Attorneys
- Malicious Prosecution
- Plea Bargaining
- Pretrial Conference
- Right to Counsel
- Prosecutorial Function
- Special Prosecutor
- Special Prosecutor Act Of 1978
- Disclosure
- Defense Attorney
- Preliminary Hearing
- Prosecuting Attorney (Disambiguation)
- Judge Discipline
- Expedited Jury Trials
- Public Defender
- Assistance Of Counsel
- Prosecuting Attorney
Further Reading
- Information about Prosecutors in the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law.
Prosecutors in the Criminal Justice System
This section covers the topics below related with Prosecutors :
Courts
Personnel
Prosecutors and Judges
Leading Case Law
Among the main judicial decisions on this topic:
In re Kinsey
Information about this important court opinion is available in this American legal Encyclopedia.
References
See Also
- Legal Profession
- Duties
- Lawyers
Resources
See Also
- Courts
- Personnel