Judges Generally Let Prosecutors Drop Charges. Maybe Not for Adams.

The New York Times ^ | Feb. 14, 2025 Updated 9:30 p.m. ET | Benjamin Weiser and Jonah E. Bromwich

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Federal judges have almost no ability under the law to refuse a government request to drop criminal charges. The corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams of New York may be the exception.

On Thursday, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle R. Sassoon, resigned rather than obey an order to seek dismissal of the charges against the mayor. The directive was issued by Emil Bove III, the acting No. 2 official in President Trump’s Justice Department and his former criminal lawyer.

Mr. Bove wrote that the demand had nothing to do with the strength of the evidence against the mayor or legal theories in the case. Rather, he said the charges would interfere with Mr. Adams’s ability “to devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime that escalated under the policies” of the Biden administration.

After Ms. Sassoon’s resignation as head of the Southern District of New York and those of at least seven Justice Department officials, Mr. Bove himself signed a motion on Friday asking the judge to dismiss the case.

It remains to be seen how the judge, Dale E. Ho of Federal District Court in Manhattan, will respond.

“Judge Ho could say this is a politically motivated decision and it affronts the grand jury process and the integrity of the court,” said Stephen Gillers, a professor of legal ethics at New York University School of Law.

Professor Gillers said Judge Ho could decide that the government’s justification for seeking dismissal was inadequate. The government would almost certainly appeal, he said.

Since Mr. Adams was indicted in September, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York has vigorously prosecuted the charges against the mayor in court, continuing to do so after the Trump administration elevated Ms. Sassoon last month to lead the office. Judge Ho has repeatedly denied Mr. Adams’s...

[17th Miss Regt]

Translation: “We are terrified he will spill a lot of beans.”

[Stingray51]

So Prof. Gillers please explain the source of the legal requirement for prosecutors to justify to the court or anyone else a decision to drop charges.

Also, please explain how a judge can compel the government to take the actions needed to put on a prosecution, such as to present prosecution witnesses, put on evidence, cross-examine defense witnesses, etc.

Also, the situation with General Flynn was different because he had already pleaded guilty , and even then the court was unable to proceed.

[Stingray51]

Also, this Sassoon ex-prosecutor is not a mind-reader. She has assigned a motive to the DOJ that is not stated in Mr. Bove’s letter. Nowhwere in the letter is any kind of transaction, any kind of quid pro quo, suggested at all.

[kiryandil]

This is GREAT!!

This "justice system" has so many tiers that we could make money renting out the different tiers!

[kiryandil]

"Dale E. Ho"

My daddy say my sista a ho and she don't look nothin' like that.

[kiryandil]

Dale Edwin Ho (born 1977) is an American lawyer who is serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Prior to becoming a judge, he was the director of the American Civil Liberties Union's voting rights project.

A Biden stooge. This is going to be awesome.

We're going to need TRUCKLOADS of popcorn for this one.

Does the ACLU guy, who believes that every guilty person is innocent, proceed to make sure Biden's political enemy "gets it"?

[kiryandil]

Check this for a LOLOL!

[DesertRhino]

“Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle R. Sassoon, resigned rather than obey an order to seek dismissal of the charges against the mayor.”

No… she was fired. Every one of them completes a letter of resignation upon appointment. It sits there until the the president or AG decides today is the day he is accepting it.

[kiryandil]

“Judge Ho could say this is a politically motivated decision and it affronts the grand jury process and the integrity of the court,” said Stephen Gillers, a professor of legal ethics at New York University School of Law.

If the bidenstooge DECLINES to dismiss the case, then it's a politically motivated decision, also.

In a cleft stick of their own cutting.

[DesertRhino]

And Sassoon is not independent. If the president or his AG orders her go prosecute a case, drop a case, etc… she’s has no right to say no.
She refused a direct order, then responded back that if yes president wants to end the case, he needs to pardon Adams.

Harvard and Yale, and she has no basic understanding of the executive branch powers and chain of command.

[Bob434]

Rudy was on talking about hochul being way more corrupt than afams ever thought of being, saying that adams if he truly is guilty is “small potatoes “ compared to her grifting

[Jonty30]

He doesn’t have any New Yorkcides on his record.

[Lockbox]

Gee, waiting for it…… somewhere between 14 to 20 State AGs sue over this Trump DOJ action. Interesting that appears to be a common practice in law enforcement of using the small fish as bait to catch the larger fish…. 🤔 wonder what State AG’s have against fishing?

[BlackbirdSST]

What if they held a court session and nobody showed?

[CFW]

Check this for a LOLOL!

---

LOLOL and grab the popcorn.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

Injustice for all - was her motto until that morning.

[catnipman]

so if some judge is stupid enough to NOT drop charges, and no prosecutor shows up to prosecute, then what?

[catnipman]

“What if they held a court session and nobody showed?”

exactly ...

[brookwood]

It seems that if Adams has something incriminating on Kathy Hochul (like how she harbors illegal aliens and interferes with Federal law enforcement), he may also have something on a few judges. I’d like to see at least one of these shameless pretend Soros judges get charged.