Prosecutors' Brady Bunch

King county prosecutors have started a list of Seattle police officers and King County deputies whose records include something that might affect their credibility. Prosecutors keep list of problem officers, Seattle Times, June 24, 2007.

Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, Justia (1963), requires prosecutors to provide potentially exculpatory information to the defense.

The prosecutors also want to know about potential problems in their cases so they won't be blindsided at trial. Sometimes they have learned of an investigation or discipline of an officer only when the defense uses it in cross.

The prosecutor's office is trying to get information from law enforcement in a more systematic way.

This issue is in the public eye because of the controversy of the officers' whose account of a drug bust was inconsistent with their actions captured by a security camera -- and the criticisms of the Police Chief's actions during the subsequent investigation. See earlier post.