US Justice Department Faces String of Defeats in Protest Cases as Officer Lies Exposed
Department of Justice prosecutors across the United States have encountered a series of humiliating setbacks in their aggressive pursuit of criminal charges against individuals accused of assaulting or impeding federal officers. In recent months, the federal government has vigorously prosecuted protesters, government critics, immigrants, and others detained during immigration operations, frequently alleging physical attacks or interference with official duties. However, numerous cases have recently been dismissed or resulted in not guilty verdicts, undermining the DoJ's efforts.
High-Profile Cases Unravel Due to False Statements
In several prominent instances, prosecutions collapsed because they depended on statements from Department of Homeland Security officers that lacked supporting evidence or were proven blatantly false by video footage. Criminal defense lawyers noted that it is unusual for federal prosecutors to pursue a high volume of charges over minor clashes with law enforcement, and it is extraordinary to witness the DoJ losing case after case across various jurisdictions. Despite this, defendants have faced significant costs, including public mugshot dissemination and prolonged jail time or criminal charges, even if ultimately exonerated.
Minneapolis Case Highlights Pattern of Misrepresentation
The most recent significant failure occurred in Minneapolis, where prosecutors last week dismissed felony assault charges against two Venezuelan men accused of violently beating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with weapons on January 14. In a press release following their arrest, the DHS labeled the men as violent criminal illegal aliens, claiming officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop when the men attacked with a snow shovel and broom handle, leading to an officer shooting one in the leg. However, on February 12, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the cases, citing newly discovered evidence materially inconsistent with the allegations. The motion, granted by a judge, sought dismissal with prejudice, preventing re-filing of charges.
ICE director Todd Lyons acknowledged that an investigation was opened after videos revealed sworn testimony by two officers appeared untruthful, a rare admission of possible wrongdoing by DHS officials. Frederick Goetz, a lawyer for one of the men, praised the investigations, noting that making false statements to a federal agent is a crime. He highlighted a pattern in similar cases from DHS's Operation Metro Surge in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, where unreasonable force by ICE agents is justified by false narratives casting victims as violent perpetrators, which later fall apart under scrutiny.
Widespread Legal Rejections Across the Country
Similar obstacles and rebukes have emerged in US attorney's offices nationwide. In Chicago, out of 92 people arrested for assaulting or impeding officers last fall, 74 cases resulted in no charges, 13 had charges filed and dismissed, and five were pending, with no convictions as of late January. In Los Angeles, federal public defenders have won all six cases against ICE protesters that went to trial since June, with juries issuing not guilty verdicts in cities like Louisville, Kentucky, Seattle, and Washington DC. Katherine McBroom, a defense lawyer in LA, described this losing streak as unheard of, noting that prosecutors seemed desperate to avoid trials by downgrading charges and negotiating pleas.
Government Response and Ongoing Investigations
Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the US attorney's office in Los Angeles, shared data indicating 103 charges filed for assaulting or impeding federal officers since last year, with six acquittals, 25 dismissals, 25 guilty pleas, and the rest pending. Prosecutors have appealed two dismissals. Natalie Baldassarre, a DoJ spokesperson, stated that the justice department will continue to seek serious charges against those who harm federal agents, despite efforts by activist liberal judges. The DHS did not respond to inquiries, and the White House declined to comment. McBroom emphasized the terror of silencing free speech through prosecutions based on false statements, highlighting the collaborative effort to hide the truth.
