Prosecutorial Accountability

Writing for the Justice Project, John F. Terzano, focuses on prosecutorial accountability in the wake of Eric Holder's decision to drop charges against former Senator Ted Stevens. Regardless of your political opinion about Stevens, he and everyone else (especially those less wealthy, less powerful, less famous, and, yes, less white) deserve ethical treatment when under the law's suspicious eye.

Terzano writes that "the kind of prosecutorial misconduct that occurred in Steven’s case is pervasive in our criminal justice system, at both the state and federal level. Withholding evidence is the most common type of prosecutorial misconduct. Making matters worse, prosecutors who engage in even the most egregious misconduct are rarely investigated or held accountable for abusing their power. "

He goes on to point out that "The vast majority of states have failed to enact effective safeguards designed to prevent misuse of prosecutorial power. Prosecutors are rarely reported to disciplinary authorities for acts of misconduct, and state bar associations rarely initiate disciplinary proceedings against prosecutors—civil practitioners are disciplined on a much greater scale than prosecutors."

Further, he announces the Justice Project's upcoming publication of "Improving Prosecutorial Accountability: A Policy Review," which will outline "the systemic problems that lead to prosecutorial misconduct." Among its recommendations is that "jurisdictions establish prosecutorial review boards that would be responsible for investigating and sanctioning prosecutors who abuse their power."

Terzano's post at http://www.thejusticeproject.org/blog/a-critical-step-to-improving-prosecutorial-accountability/ is worth the read, as, I am sure, will be the soon-to-be-released review of prosecutorial accountability.