Jurors Balked at Indicting ICE Protesters. Prosecutors Kept Pushing.
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- In October, a federal prosecutor in Chicago struggled to secure an indictment from a grand jury against protesters arrested during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, facing skepticism and critical questions from jurors.
- Transcripts released by Judge April M. Perry revealed potential protocol breaches by the prosecutor and highlighted a broader pattern of federal prosecutors facing challenges and criticism in court proceedings nationwide.
- Although legally permissible, repeatedly resubmitting a case to a grand jury after a rejection was rare before the Trump era and requires approval from a U.S. attorney, raising concerns about prosecutorial tactics.
- The case involved protesters accused of damaging a federal vehicle and obstructing its entry to an immigration detention site, with the government eventually securing indictments on charges of interfering with federal agents after initial grand jury refusals.