“The division of the US Department of Justice responsible for investigating wrongdoing by law enforcement officers has lost two-thirds of its prosecutors and has been ordered to limit investigations into cases of excessive force.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Donald Trump. Photo: Getty Images Source: Reuters citing seven former lawyers in the department and sources familiar with the department’s work
Details: The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Division, which has traditionally played a leading role in reviewing cases of human rights abuses by police officers, has lost much of its investigative capacity. The reason for this was mass layoffs and new directives from the administration of President Donald Trump narrowing the mandate of the unit.
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The number of trial attorneys in the division has shrunk from about 40 before Trump took office a year ago to no more than 13 now, according to sources. There are only two managers left in the department, although there used to be about seven of them.
Former prosecutors describe the firing of experienced lawyers as a reaction to the Trump administration’s selective approach to law enforcement. They say the administration is holding back on investigations of its allies and encouraging background checks on political opponents.
Literally: “Civil Rights Division Chair Harmit Dillon, appointed by Trump, has publicly encouraged the firing of some staffers, portraying staff lawyers as unable or unwilling to carry out the administration’s agenda.”
Details: Sources told Reuters that the administration ordered investigations into the actions of law enforcement officers only in the presence of “egregious circumstances” such as deaths in custody or sexual violence. In most other cases, priority should be given to investigations at the state or local government level.
Former Justice Ministry lawyers have expressed doubts about the department’s ability to conduct thorough investigations into recent high-profile incidents, including murders Rene Hood and Alex Pretty by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis last month, amid mass layoffs.