After charges against ‘Broadview Six’ are dropped, judge admonishes federal prosecutors
Chicago’s top federal prosecutor announced the permanent dismissal Thursday of charges against the remaining members of the “Broadview Six” in a stunning hearing that revealed apparent misconduct by his staff before a grand jury during Operation Midway Blitz.
In a rare courtroom appearance, U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros told U.S. District Judge April Perry he’d learned of what happened three weeks ago. He said he didn’t believe any member of his staff had intentionally misled the judge.
Then, he went on to say the conduct of six protesters who opposed the Trump administration’s deportation campaign was “unacceptable in a civilized society” — even though he’d officially just abandoned any effort to find them guilty of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
Perry told him, “you are significantly undercutting your mea culpa here by standing behind the charges and continuing to vilify these particular defendants.” She said there might be talk of sanctions for prosecutors down the road.
And that’s how the prosecution of the “Broadview Six” came to an end — with jaw-dropping revelations, days before a trial, that could haunt Chicago’s U.S. Attorney’s office for years.
The office’s mantra is “Do the Right Thing,” and it has long been considered one of the most well-regarded of its kind in the country.
Perry served in the office and was even once tapped to lead it. But Thursday, she told attorneys she was “incredibly shocked” by what she saw in a set of grand jury transcripts. [Continue reading…]