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The Hill
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Who is James Boasberg, the federal judge DOJ accuses of misconduct?
The Department of Justice filed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Monday, in the Trump administration's latest escalation of its pressure campaign on judges it views as blocking President Trump's agenda. Boasberg has frequently found himself at odds with the president since ruling against the administration in March in a high-profile deportation case. But the latest move thrusts Boasberg back into the spotlight, as the DOJ calls for Boasberg to be removed from the immigration case, investigated for alleged misconduct and referred for appropriate discipline. What is Boasberg's background? Boasberg became chief judge of the district court in March 2023, 12 years after former President Obama first appointed him to the federal bench. He previously served for nearly a decade as an associate judge of the D.C. Superior Court and was an assistant U.S. attorney for D.C. before that. He is a graduate of Yale Law School. How has he ruled on cases involving Trump admin? Boasberg oversees multiple cases involving the Trump administration and has issued several rulings that have angered the president and his allies. Boasberg has seen the sharpest backlash for his handling of a challenge to Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act, which the president first invoked in mid-March to swiftly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador. Boasberg was assigned the case and immediately ordered any airborne flights to El Salvador to turn around and return to U.S. soil. Flights of migrants still arrived in El Salvador, and Boasberg has since accused the Trump administration of willfully violating his ruling. The judge moved toward contempt, though an appeals court has for months halted the proceedings. Boasberg presided over another high-profile case against the administration related to the so-called 'Signalgate.' Five top Trump officials were sued following revelations that they discussed a military strike in a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal — and unintentionally included a journalist. They had asked Boasberg to order the officials to preserve all Signal communications and recover chats that had been deleted, but Boasberg largely rejected the request, saying it was too late to order the recovery of the deleted messages. Boasberg did order administration officials to take steps to preserve Signal chats across the government at risk of being deleted. Boasberg oversees two lawsuits related to requests for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to preserve its records, but Boasberg has declined to take action on the cases, noting another judge has taken action in a similar case. Boasberg oversees a case challenging the Trump administration's agreement with the Salvadoran government to house more than 200 migrants deported to the notorious megaprison. But the lawsuit remains in its early stages, and Boasberg has not ruled on the matter yet. What accusations did the DOJ level against him? The Monday complaint alleges misconduct and demands that Boasberg be removed from the high-profile deportation case, which was brought in March, and investigated and potentially disciplined. 'Judge Boasberg's actions have harmed the integrity and public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary,' Justice Department Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle wrote in the five-page complaint, which was obtained by The Hill. The complaint centers on comments Boasberg reportedly made to fellow judges at a March 11 meeting of the Judicial Conference, the federal judiciary's policymaking arm. The Federalist, a conservative outlet, earlier this month reported that Boasberg said he was concerned 'that the Administration would disregard rulings of federal courts leading to a constitutional crisis.' The Justice Department's new complaint alleges Boasberg has ethical obligations to promote public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and refrain from public comments about matters pending in any court. 'These comments have undermined the integrity of the judiciary, and we will not stand for that,' Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on the social platform X. The complaint was sent to Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Federal law provides that Srinivasan can dismiss the complaint, find that appropriate corrective action has been taken or appoint a committee to pursue further reprimand. The Hill has requested comment from Boasberg through a court spokesperson.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Shameful': Washington murder case dismissed after DNA evidence is lost
WASHNGTON — Days before a Washington murder trial was to begin, prosecutors decided the evidence they had against the defendant — who was in custody for more than five years — was not good enough, and the victim's family still wants an explanation. When John Pernell was shot to death on Nelson Place SE in July 2010, witnesses told police the retired protective service officer fought with one of four men trying to rob him and others. Pernell and his friends were setting up their barbecues for a traditional Fourth of July get-together when the men jumped a fence and announced a robbery. The investigation went nowhere until 2019, when a witness told police they should look at a man named Kavon Young. According to a document filed in D.C. Superior Court, police said DNA discovered under Pernell's fingernails matched the DNA profile of Young. The probability the DNA did not belong to Young was one in 3.4 billion in the United States African American population. But that DNA evidence — presented in court as a match in 2019 — suddenly became a mismatch two days before trial. Prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office, the defense attorneys and the private lab that did the original testing will not say why. 'It's shameful. We have a right to know what happened,' said Pernell's daughter, Yolanda Pernell-Vogelson. Two days before the trial was set to begin, Pernell-Vogelson and her sister, Ayana Pernell, say they got a call from Michael Spence, the prosecutor in the case, who told them the initial calculations were wrong. 'To this day, [we] have not been given a full, understandable explanation as to why this has happened,' Ayana Pernell said. 'I mean, we are essentially victims also.' Court records show the private lab that did the testing, Bode Technology Group Inc., lost the evidence and it cannot be retested. The judge told the prosecution and defense that at trial, the jury would be told 'the government's labs and/or agencies negligently lost the DNA extract in this case' just before the trial was set to begin. In an April 9 filing, prosecutors noted again the DNA 'matched the defendant' 'as reported by Bode Technology' — a result prosecutors relied upon for five-and-a-half years until deciding two days before trial it was unreliable. Bode Technology group declined to comment. Young was released in April, and NBC Washington couldn't reach the attorneys who have been representing him. Pernell's daughters said they wrote letters to all lawmakers in the city. 'We extend our condolences to Mr. Pernell's family and friends, including his daughters," Washington Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah said in a statement Wednesday. "I've contacted them regarding his case, and we are investigating the matter to see if there is anything additional the District can do to be of assistance to ensure justice.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
05-06-2025
- NBC News
'Shameful': Washington murder case dismissed after DNA evidence is lost
WASHNGTON — Days before a Washington murder trial was to begin, prosecutors decided the evidence they had against the defendant — who was in custody for more than five years — was not good enough, and the victim's family still wants an explanation. When John Pernell was shot to death on Nelson Place SE in July 2010, witnesses told police the retired protective service officer fought with one of four men trying to rob him and others. Pernell and his friends were setting up their barbecues for a traditional Fourth of July get-together when the men jumped a fence and announced a robbery. The investigation went nowhere until 2019, when a witness told police they should look at a man named Kavon Young. According to a document filed in D.C. Superior Court, police said DNA discovered under Pernell's fingernails matched the DNA profile of Young. The probability the DNA did not belong to Young was one in 3.4 billion in the United States African American population. But that DNA evidence — presented in court as a match in 2019 — suddenly became a mismatch two days before trial. Prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office, the defense attorneys and the private lab that did the original testing will not say why. 'It's shameful. We have a right to know what happened,' said Pernell's daughter, Yolanda Pernell-Vogelson. Two days before the trial was set to begin, Pernell-Vogelson and her sister, Ayana Pernell, say they got a call from Michael Spence, the prosecutor in the case, who told them the initial calculations were wrong. 'To this day, [we] have not been given a full, understandable explanation as to why this has happened,' Ayana Pernell said. 'I mean, we are essentially victims also.' Court records show the private lab that did the testing, Bode Technology Group Inc., lost the evidence and it cannot be retested. The judge told the prosecution and defense that at trial, the jury would be told 'the government's labs and/or agencies negligently lost the DNA extract in this case' just before the trial was set to begin. In an April 9 filing, prosecutors noted again the DNA 'matched the defendant' 'as reported by Bode Technology' — a result prosecutors relied upon for five-and-a-half years until deciding two days before trial it was unreliable. Bode Technology group declined to comment. Young was released in April, and NBC Washington couldn't reach the attorneys who have been representing him. Pernell's daughters said they wrote letters to all lawmakers in the city. 'We extend our condolences to Mr. Pernell's family and friends, including his daughters," Washington Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah said in a statement Wednesday. "I've contacted them regarding his case, and we are investigating the matter to see if there is anything additional the District can do to be of assistance to ensure justice.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man sentenced in DC after selling drugs near school
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — A man was sentenced in D.C. after selling narcotics near schools and possessing a gun as a felon, according to a release. 23-year-old John Parker, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty on March 5, to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute N, N-Dimethylpentylone near schools and to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The designer synthetic stimulant was known as 'boot'. Former University Park Mayor faces charges after sexually exploiting children for over a decade, authorities say According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2023, around 8:30 p.m., United States Park Police officers saw a person approach Parker near 7th and H Streets, about 400 feet from a school, and hand Parker cash. Parker then handed the person white powder. Officers followed Parker into a nearby drug store, where he was arrested. During a search, officers recovered a loaded Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol that was tucked in his pants. Parker was previously convicted in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license. In addition, police recovered a clear-knotted plastic bag which contained a white rock-like substance weighing 54.6 grams, a plastic bag that contained 75 clear capsules filled with a white rock-like substance, six purple capsules each containing a white rock-like substance and $211 in cash. The bag was tested and confirmed to contain N, N-Dimethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance. Parker was sentenced to 27 months, or just over two years, for the crimes. In addition, Parker was ordered to serve six years of supervised release. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
Washington Post
02-05-2025
- Washington Post
He burned alive on his 10th birthday. The landlord is going to prison.
Before a D.C. Superior Court judge delivered his sentence Friday for two deaths that a jury found he failed to prevent, James Walker read from Psalm 93 — a meditation on the sovereignty of God. The licensed attorney and D.C. landlord apologized for the fire that killed 10-year-old Yafet Solomon and 40-year-old Fitsum Kebede, saying that he was 'very sorry for their deaths' and 'did not mean to cause them harm.'
