The Cases Of The Disappearing Indictments

Should-have-been indictments have been disappearing lately in Hampshire County. Just recently, 25 charges, which should have been presented to the grand jury, were never presented within the allotted time forcing the magistrate's office to refund the bail on all 25.

First, let me explain how this works. An arrest warrant is obtained, and if the charge is a felony, the case is presented to the grand jury by the prosecutor. The prosecutor has three grand jury sessions to present his case. Otherwise the charges expire and are dismissed.

Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong. Apparently the prosecution is resting just a little early on some cases. Like the two cases of sexual abuse which should have been brought before the grand jury and have now expired. Or the cases of a young man of a high social status who was arrested not once, but three times, for possession with the intent to deliver and each of the three times, the charges were let expire by the prosecution.

This is quite confusing. I thought getting drugs and sex offenders off the streets was a good thing and should be a priority. My delusions must come from too many nights spent watching Law & Order. If Fred Thompson doesn’t win the presidential race, then we need to get him to move here and run for prosecutor. After all, if I’m so delusional as to believe getting drugs and sex offenders off the streets is good, then I’m just crazy enough to believe the man who played the district attorney on Law & Order would be a great prosecutor. Wait a minute! I may have something here. Not only is Thompson a character actor, but he’s also a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, an attorney, a lobbyist, a former United States Senator, cancer survivor and now is speculating on throwing his hat in the ring for the presidency.

Now if someone with the is background would be a good prosecutor, perhaps it’s not so crazy after all to believe getting drugs and sex offenders off the street should be accomplished with the support of, rather than the hindrance of, the prosecution. When these cases are allowed to expire, it sends a crystal clear message that the prosecutor simply refuses to do his job. Perhaps he needs to remember that the “prosecution rests” after presenting the case, not before.