U.S. Supreme Court ponders absolute immunity for prosecutors
The LA Times reports:
Prosecutors have long been shielded from lawsuits brought by people who were wrongly convicted. Even if a defendant is later shown to be entirely innocent, the prosecutor who brought the charges cannot be held liable for the mistake.The Supreme Court has ruled that “absolute immunity” is needed so that prosecutors — and judges — can do their jobs without fear of legal retaliation.
But a California case that the high court is considering taking could open a back door for such lawsuits. Prosecutors in Los Angeles are urging the court to block a suit from a man who was wrongly convicted of murder because, they say, it will allow “a potential flood” of similar claims across the nation.