On Monday February 6, 2012 Grits For Breakfast featured an article titled Dallas DA defies court order, refuses to reveal police criminal histories. This article discusses how the Dallas DA is being held in contempt due to their failure to comply with a court order. While this may not come as a surprise to many, the reason as to why the Dallas DA is in contempt is actually quite interesting. A criminal court judge has ordered prosecutors to share criminal histories of police officers with defense attorneys when the officers are testifying in court for misdemeanors, which the DA has refused to do. The main argument with this case comes down to the DA feeling as if releasing police officers criminal background histories is a violation of the federal law due to invasion of privacy. Currently witnesses and jurors are subject to criminal background checks, but police officers testifying are being treated as an exception to the rule.
I recommend this article to anyone who is interested in our justice system and who would like to be made aware of the inconsistencies that witnesses face based on what side of the law they sit on.
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