Judge reverses suspensions of 2 prosecutors
Apr 8, 2013, 10:33 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) – An administrative judge has reversed suspensions of two federal prosecutors who allegedly failed to turn over evidence to Sen. Ted Stevens necessary to his defense in his corruption trial.
The judge ruled that the Justice Department violated its own procedures by having a member of its management rather than a rank-and-file attorney decide the case.
Judge Benjamin Gutman did not address whether the prosecutors _ James Goeke and Joseph Bottini _ committed the misconduct they were charged with or whether the penalties the agency imposed were reasonable.
On Monday, Justice Department spokeswoman Nanda Chitre said the department is reviewing the matter.
Stevens’ 2008 conviction was dismissed because the prosecution withheld evidence that undercut testimony by the government’s key witness. Stevens was killed in a 2010 plane crash.
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