<font size="2">Framing the Innocent:<br>
Crimes Under Color of Law at the Massachusetts US Attorney's Office<br>
<br>
When: Thursday, March 24, 7:30 p.m.<br>
Where: Northeastern University Law School<br>
240 Dockser Hall<br>
<br>
Confirmed speakers include:<br>
<br>
Chuck Turner--Five-term Boston City Councilor representing Roxbury and
Dorchester, and a lifetime activist for social justice, recently
targeted by the FBI and the Massachusetts US Attorney. <br>
<br>
Bob Boyle--Attorney representing many activists and political prisoners
targeted by the FBI's infamous Counter-Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO)<br>
<br>
***<br>
<br>
Over the past few years, an atrocious history of government misconduct
at the Massachusetts US Attorney's office has emerged in the court
record, but few people have heard about it.<br>
<br>
In the case Ferrara v. US, the court found that US Assistant Attorney
Jeffrey Auerhahn worked with an FBI agent to coerce a witness into
maintaining false testimony, withheld evidence of the witness's
recantation from defense counsel, and perjured himself in court. Other
members of the office have<br>
<br>
--Withheld information about misconduct by FBI agents<br>
--Consistently and deliberately withheld evidence of the innocence of defendants from defense counsel and from the court<br>
<br>
The head of the Massachusetts US Attorney's office has shielded
assistants and acted to cover-up government misconduct. Auerhahn was
given responsibility to prosecute "terrorism" cases, where he continues
to handle government informants and "cooperating witnesses."<br>
<br>
The Massachusetts US Attorney has also demonstrated a clear set of
political priorities: contempt for basic civil liberties and due process
rights; an anti-immigrant agenda; selective prosecution of black
political leaders; and the prosecution of an overwhelming number of
indigent defendants and people of color. <br>
<br>
Although the US Attorney's office has extraordinary power, people who
are concerned about government abuses have paid comparatively little
attention to its role within the criminal justice system.<br>
<br>
Come participate in a public discussion about the Massachusetts US
Attorney's Office and what we can do to hold it accountable to our
concerns.<br>
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