Prosecutor Profiles
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2003 — An overzealous prosecutor with a history of misconduct charged Robert Wasser with sexual assault. Though the case against him was ultimately thrown out of court, he lost his job, his reputation and incurred the expense of a trial. The woman who prosecuted him, and misled the court, still has her job. >>
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2003 — San Diego stands out amidst the 2,341 jurisdictions the Center researched for its attempts over the last 30 years to do things differently—in part because the office of district attorney has been held by prosecutors who have attempted to make the office more accountable. But that hasn't meant an end to misconduct. >>
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2003 — The top person in a district attorney's office must manage hundreds of lawyers and support staff, deal with horrific crimes almost every day, think about prevention as well as conviction, all the while balancing the obligation to serve justice with the scrutiny of won-lost statistics that become a factor in re-election campaigns. >>
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2003 — Six former Tennessee prosecutors filed an unusual brief with U.S. Supreme Court in a death penalty case. They argued not on behalf of the prosecution, but for the defendant. The six made the pattern of behavior of John Zimmermann, a prosecutor in Davidson County (Nashville), Tenn., the central issue of their brief. >>
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2003 — When an innocent defendant enters the criminal justice system, grievous mistakes can occur, even when prosecutors play by the rules. In some cases the prosecutor simply could not have foreseen the grievous mistake. >>