NLG ATTORNEY TAKEN INTO CUSTODY & HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT
On Sep. 3rd and 4th, 2019, individuals charged for their role in counter-protesting the alt-right sponsored Straight Pride parade, were arraigned in the Boston Municipal Court. This has been five days of reckless disregard for the law and justice by some of the people and institutions who are supposed to protect it. On Saturday during the protest large scale violence was initiated by the police resulting in serious injuries by many protesters. During the arraignments in Boston Municipal Court, Judge Richard Sinnot made clear that individuals rights would not be vindicated in our criminal legal system, but instead would be further trampled.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss many charges prior to arraignment, recognizing that they were low level offenses that should not appear on people’s permanent criminal records. This is in step with their policy memo regarding a set number of offenses for which they are trying to prosecute less. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office also moved to file Nolle Prosequi in cases for which they determined there is no probable cause. They are ethically bound to do this, as a person cannot be prosecuted if there is not probable cause to support the charge. Judge Richard Sinnot was routinely denying requests in both categories. This is in gross violation of the separation of powers and an attempt to clearly obstruct the policy priorities of the Rachel Rollins Administration.
Yesterday, when a defense attorney Susan Church attempted to advocate for her client by raising these separation of powers arguments, she was jailed and held in contempt by Judge Sinnot. This continued a trend that began on Tuesday where he denied attorneys the right to make arguments on issues of bail and evidentiary issues. It appears that between Tuesday and Wednesday the Judge decided to increase this repression, culminating in the jailing of a National Lawyers Guild attorney. Attorney Church is not the only person who has been jailed in the last two days by Judge Sinnot. Multiple activists who were released following their arrest, and appeared in court on time, had their bails increased without purpose, and taken into custody.
