Another judge is taking prosecutorial misconduct seriously:
In the wake of a prosecutorial misconduct scandal in the corruption case against former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens in Washington, a Miami federal judge imposed extraordinary sanctions Thursday on federal prosecutors in South Florida for secretly taping the defense team of a physician who was ultimately acquitted in a prescription drug case.
U.S. District Judge Alan Gold ordered the government to pay $601,795 to cover legal fees, litigation expenses and expert fees for Dr. Ali Shaygan of Miami Beach after a superseding indictment was returned against the doctor last summer.
Gold also issued a public reprimand against the U.S. Attorney's office, and U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta as well as his senior staff members for failing to properly supervise the trial attorneys.
The judge reprimanded the two trial prosecutors, Sean Cronin and Andrea Hoffman, as well as their supervisor, Karen Gilbert, the narcotics section chief. Gold said Cronin and Hoffman, along with Drug Enforcement Administration agent Christopher Wells, "acted vexatiously and in bad faith." He cited Gilbert and her deputies for acting with "gross negligence."
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