I’m gonna post some of the remarks that US Magistrate Judge Espinoza made in the hearing to dismiss with prejudice the horrendous arrest & charges of Newark Mayor Baraka. @emptywheel has the full transcripts. The NJ USAO acted unprofessionally & unethically. The judge noted this: “An arrest, particularly of a public figure, is not a preliminary investigative tool. It is a severe action, carrying significant reputational and personal consequences, and it should only be undertaken after a thorough, dispassionate evaluation of credible evidence” “The apparent rush in this case, culminating today in the embarrassing retraction of charges, suggests a failure to adequately investigate…&…consider the implications of your actions before wielding your immense power. Your Office must operate with a higher standard than that.” Judges don’t scold lightly. This needed to be said, and the judge said it. We can’t go down this road. We as a society and as individuals must demand better of the people to whom we give immense power.
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