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