County's top prosecutor mum on Wilson case
News Niagara Reporter Thomas J. Prohaska went to Niagara County District Attorney Michael Violante's office on Friday to ask about the Wilson case.
A secretary kept Prohaska from speaking with Violante. “He can’t see you because it’s a sealed case," our reporter was told.
Perfect. There is no better way to instill paranoia and fear of a whitewash or cover-up than by stonewalling...err, I mean sealing the case.
Ok, so who screwed up? Who's behind is being protected? Did someone overreact?
Maybe there's good reason to seal the thing but I'm skeptical.
So I guess we'll all wait for any civil suit and read the complaint.
Posted by: BobbyCat | July 11, 2009 at 03:14 PM
The NC DA and Sherriffs Dept sound like they are filled with below-average intelligence apparatchiks who aren't just aren't smart enough to think beyond the immediate media glare and political-correctness.
Posted by: pgr88 | July 12, 2009 at 12:10 AM
The sealing of the file is mandatory for dismissals under the criminal procedure law. The problem is not the legal and ethical sealing of the file after dismissal...but the sealing of the facts in a closed courtroom...at trial....before conviction!
This case was charged in an adult court and tried as same...no other 16-19 yr olds, who are also granted sealing orders after trial acquittals or YO pleas are treated this way...to a private court proceeding!
So the question remains..why were these boys from Wilson afforded this exclusive privacy at their trial and not the sealing of the case afterwards.. which in my opinion and experience...was a predetermined acquittal determination!
Posted by: Sealy Dan | July 12, 2009 at 12:00 PM
The State Polic should stick with traffic control!
Posted by: Pat | July 12, 2009 at 10:51 PM
The Buffalo News Editorial today states that the Wilson cases were sealed because of the age of the acquitted defts...which is not true.
The trail was "sealed" as the judge perceived the 2 YO ELIGIBLE defts would be acquitted....which was wrong for the reasons that HE APPEARS TO HAVE PERCEIVED SUCH and additionally because it was a public courtroom, and should have been opened for public view... as the process in NY state courtrooms proceeds everyday.
All acquitted cases are sealed for everyone of any age..per the CPL. This article should be corrected and the real problem should be addressed by the editorial page....closing courtrooms for selectd individuals!
Posted by: glued shut | July 14, 2009 at 11:11 AM