Home » A Prosecutor Allegedly Told a Witness To Destroy Evidence. He Can’t Be Sued for It.

A Prosecutor Allegedly Told a Witness To Destroy Evidence. He Can’t Be Sued for It.

Absolute immunity protects prosecutors even when they commit serious misconduct on the job.

Considerthefollowinghypothetical:Youarejailedfortwoyearsasyouawaittrialformurder.Youarefacingthedeathpenalty.Youhavecancer,whichhadbeeninremissionuntilyouwereincarceratedwithoutpropertreatmentandmonitoring.And,itturnsout,youwerechargedbasedonafalsewitnessstatement,afactthatthelocalprosecutorallegedlyencouragedthedestructionofevidencetoobscure. Nowimaginesuingthatprosecutorandbeingtoldyouhavenorecoursebecausesuchgovernmentemployeesareentitledtoabsoluteimmunity. Thatis,unfortunately,notahypothetical.ItdescribesthecasesurroundingNickieMiller,aKentuckymanwhowasimplicatedinabizarremurderplotbyawomantowhomthegovernmenthadofferedadealtoavoidprisontime.Thatwitness,NatashaMartin,almostimmediatelysoughttorecant.Lawenforcementwouldn’tacceptthat.Shetestifiedbeforeagrandjury,andthenshetriedtorecantagain,writinginjailhouselettersthatherstatementcameinresponseto“coerciveinterrogationtechniques,threats,an