Prosecutorial Ethics

This book examines a prosecutor's ethical responsibilities throughout the criminal justice process in both federal and state practice, and explores constitutional and ethical constraints on prosecutorial discretion. Topics are ordered sequentially as they occur in the progression of a typical criminal case, including the prosecutor's role in the conduct of investigations, contacting and interviewing witnesses, grand jury practice, charging, pre-trial discovery, plea bargaining, jury selection, trial conduct, sentencing, media contacts and post-conviction remedies. The focal point of discussion in each of these areas is a prosecutor's ethical responsibilities under the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct (through 2019) drawing frequent comparisons to significant state variations on the Model Rules, and supplemental guidance provided by the ABA's Criminal Justice Standards: Prosecution Function; the National District Attorneys Standards; and, the Justice Department Manual. The authors also examine constitutional constraints on prosecutorial discretion (particularly under the 5th and 6th Amendments) that at times may deviate from or supplement ethical norms. For the purposes of brevity and ease of reference, the book deviates from the traditional casebook format by summarizing rather than reprinting significant case decisions. Each chapter concludes with practical problems designed to promote class discussion about the appropriate exercise of prosecutorial discretion in hypothetical situations. The book is designed to be used either in a stand-alone seminar on prosecutorial ethics, or as a companion to materials used in a prosecution clinic.

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.

"Project of the American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Standards Committee, Criminal Justice Section"--T.p. verso.

"This book is for lawyer and nonlawyer alike-anyone who is interested in how the criminal justice system works. If you are reading this as a new prosecutor, you can see where others went wrong as well as what options are available to you. The most important goal of this book is for the voters to see the what the criminal justice system really looks like"--

What happens when public prosecutors, the most powerful officials in the criminal justice system, seek convictions instead of justice? Why are cases involving well-to-do victims often prosecuted more vigorously than those involving poor victims? Why do wealthy defendants frequently enjoy more lenient plea bargains than the disadvantaged? In this eye-opening work, Angela J. Davis shines a much-needed light on the power of American prosecutors, revealing how the day-to-day practice of even the most well-intentioned prosecutors can result in unequal treatment of defendants and victims. Ranging from mandatory minimum sentencing laws that enhance prosecutorial control over the outcome of cases, to the increasing politicization of the office, Davis uses powerful stories of individuals caught in the system to demonstrate how the perfectly legal exercise of prosecutorial discretion can result in gross inequities in criminal justice. For the paperback edition, Davis provides a new Afterword which covers such recent incidents of prosecutorial abuse as the Jena Six case, the Duke lacrosse case, the Department of Justice firings, and more.

Increasing concerns about the accountability of criminal justice professionals at all levels has placed a heightened focus on the behavior of those who work in the system. Judges, attorneys, police, and prison employees are all under increased scrutiny from the public and the media. Ethics for Criminal Justice Professionals examines the myriad of e

American prosecutors are asked to play two roles within the criminal justice system: they are supposed to be ministers of justice whose only goals are to ensure fair trials—and they are also advocates of the government whose success rates are measured by how many convictions they get. Because of this second role, sometimes prosecutors suppress evidence in order to establish a defendant’s guilt and safeguard that conviction over time. In Prosecution Complex, Daniel S. Medwed shows how prosecutors are told to lock up criminals and protect the rights of defendants. This double role creates an institutional “prosecution complex” that animates how district attorneys’ offices treat potentially innocent defendants at all stages of the process—and that can cause prosecutors to aid in the conviction of the innocent. Ultimately, Prosecution Complex shows how, while most prosecutors aim to do justice, only some hit that target consistently.

A comparative and collaborative study of the foundational principles and concepts that underpin different domestic systems of criminal law.