By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com DETROIT — Federal court, more often than not, is a pretty serious place. But on Wednesday, judges, prosecutors, attorneys, courthouse staff and members of the media gathered on the first floor of the U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Detroit to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The crowd…
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The Justice Department’s powerful Public Integrity section, which investigates politicians and judges, has a new leader, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. U.S. Attorney Jack Smith, who has been a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, brings a wealth of background and knowledge to the position. Smith was a criminal prosecutor, for example, in…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com B. Todd Jones, the head of ATF, who first stepped in as acting director in 2011, and later became the first ATF directory in history to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, is stepping down, effective March 31. The announcement from ATF came in a press release, which said he’s departing…
By Allan Lengel Deadline Detroit DETROIT — U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Berg, a former federal prosecutor and former acting U.S. Attorney, was shot and wounded Thursday night on Detroit’s northwest side. George Hunter of the Detroit News reports that it was an attempted robbery. He was shot in the leg outside his home in…
By Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com A Puerto Rico man has been arrested and charged with threatening a U.S. Attorney while in jail, the FBI said Monday. Jose Villafane-Cotto was charged last week with mailing threatening communication and threatening a federal official. He is accused of threatening U.S. Attorney Rose Emilia Rodriguez Velez of the District of…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com George Phillips, who served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi from 1980 to 1994 and oversaw corruption cases, including the FBI’s Operation Pretense, which led to the prosecutions of 57 Mississippi supervisors on corruption charges, has died the Clarion-Ledger reports.. He was 65. The Clarion-Ledger reports that he…
By Ross Parker If you run into Barb McQuade, the U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan some time in 2015, congratulate her for her Office’s milestone. This year marks the Bicentennial of the appointment of the first USA in Michigan Territory, Solomon Sibley in 1815. This makes the USAO the oldest law…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) announced Thursday its support for Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch. Lynch is currently the U.S. Attorney for Brooklyn. The Association, in a statement said: Today, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) announced its support for Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch. FLEOA stands behind her proven…
