What do you do when you get caught not playing by the rules? Accuse the umpire of applying the rules unfairly. At least that’s what I saw the 7–9 year olds on my son’s baseball team do last season.
Apparently San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris agrees, and has accused Judge Anne-Christine Massullo of bias after the judge ruled that the prosecutors’ office failed to disclose information that could raise questions about the veracity of SF Crime Lab employee Deborah Madden.
Judicial ethics expert Richard Zitrin had this to say:
“Judges don’t like to be accused of bias. That’s why you don’t see a lot of these,” he said. “I would never have done (such a motion) unless I had clear evidence and no other choice,” Zitrin said. “This is the kind of thing that no lawyer wants to do half-baked.”
Zitrin said the argument that Hemann’s role as a legal education panelist somehow financially benefited the couple was “singularly unimpressive.”
“I doubt Judge Massullo is losing sleep over it,” he said. “She made a disclosure that seemed appropriate, and that was the end of it for her.”
Remember prosecutors, the goal is to protect the public interest, not “win at any cost”.
There is more to this story at SFGate.com.
Related posts:
- Judge Orders Discovery of Documents Realted to San Francisco Crime Lab Controversy
- No Conflict of Interest in SF Crime Lab Court Challenge
- San Francisco Evidence Theft, and Police Cover-up
- More Than One SFPD Drug Chemist Skimming?
- SF Police Chief Gascon Vows “Negligent” Police Officials Will Be Held Accountable
- Crime Lab Staff to Take the 5th
