Durbin Fires Broadview Six Prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg as 4 Defendants' Case Collapses
Updated
Updated · Chicago Tribune · May 22
Durbin Fires Broadview Six Prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg as 4 Defendants' Case Collapses
8 articles · Updated · Chicago Tribune · May 22
Sheri Mecklenburg was terminated from the Senate Judiciary Committee after Judge April Perry exposed alleged grand jury misconduct in the Broadview Six prosecution.
4 remaining defendants had their charges dismissed with prejudice after U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros apologized in court and scrapped a trial set to begin Tuesday.
Grand jury transcripts showed prosecutors allegedly vouched for the case, told dissenting jurors they could leave, and held ex parte contact; Perry said her trust in the office was broken.
Defense lawyers for Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw moved to preserve prosecutors' emails and texts, a step toward sanctions and renewed claims of vindictive prosecution.
The collapse deepened the U.S. attorney's poor Midway Blitz record: 24 of 33 charged defendants have now been cleared, while only 2 have pleaded guilty.
After a prosecutor is fired for misconduct, what systemic changes can truly prevent future abuses of power in the justice system?
How will a new DOJ fund determine who is a true victim of 'weaponized' prosecution versus a duly charged defendant?