Officer who took documents from defense attorney’s file during hearing ordered only to apologize
What should be the penalty for an officer who removes confidential legal material from a defense attorney’s file in the courtroom during the proceedings? In Arizona, apparently it is to be held in contempt of court, but only required to apologize.
This punishment does nothing but minimize the seriousness of the conduct here. The Officer stole legally privileged documents from counsel’s for no good reason. I hope the people in Arizona voice their outrage.
Marshall A. Mintz is a criminal defense lawyer in New York City who has experience with a vast variety of criminal matters, ranging from high‑profile federal trials to simple prosecutions in New York City Criminal Court.