Illinois defendants should expect at least two things at their trials. First, they should expect to be represented by a qualified Illinois criminal defense attorney. Second, they should expect that the prosecuting attorney will be honest and not be found to have committed legal malpractice or prosecutorial misconduct.
Four drug conspiracy defendants who were convicted last March were not provided with trials that were free from prosecutorial misconduct, according to a recent finding by a federal judge in Illinois. The judge found that one of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys committed prosecutorial misconduct by allowing a witness to testify falsely in the trial of these four defendants. Senecca Williams, who was a key witness in the trial, testified that he saw one of the defendants packaging narcotics and heard the defendant talking about a drug business during late 2002 and early 2003. Mr. Williams was in jail from April 2002 – September 2005, a fact that should have been known to the prosecutor and a fact that made Mr. Williams’ testimony unquestionably false.
Legal malpractice, whether it happens in a civil or criminal trial, has serious repercussions for individuals involved in the lawsuit and for our system of justice. Most attorneys are ethical and honorable people who want to see justice done. However, if your attorney has committed legal malpractice then it is important to contact an Illinois legal malpractice attorney who can help you.