A grand juror in Chicago expressed skepticism about a proposed indictment of six Democratic politicians and activists who protested outside a federal immigration detention center, according to newly released transcripts.
Grand Jury Proceedings
The transcripts show that the grand jury was presented with the case three times in October, but not all grand jurors were present each session. After one grand juror asked if there were new facts to add to the case, a prosecutor responded, ‘I’m feeling the skepticism already. Are you going to be able to listen with an open mind? Tell me the truth.’ The grand juror replied, ‘I heard this case like last week and I thought it was a crock of shit then and I still think it is.’
The prosecutor then excused the grand juror, and the session was cut short without a vote. A week later, the grand jury approved an indictment of the Broadview Six, which was later dropped by the US attorney’s office.
Controversy and Criticism
The situation has raised questions about the possible involvement of Justice Department political leadership in the Chicago office’s prosecution efforts. More than 100 alumni of the office have issued a statement saying they believe the office is suffering from ‘a failure of leadership’ and that ‘once-forbidden political considerations are infecting prosecutorial decisions.’ Defense attorneys in other cases have also raised concerns about the grand jury process.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
