Federal prosecutors in Chicago face potential criminal contempt charges.
U.S. District Judge April Perry found serious grand jury misconduct in a case stemming from President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, according to court records.
Perry discovered prosecutors vouched for charges, dismissed skeptical jurors, held private conversations outside the jury room, and redacted over 80 pages of proceedings.
Defense attorneys requested an independent special prosecutor with authority to bring contempt charges, but the Justice Department opposed the move, arguing it would "amount to criminal proceedings against federal prosecutors," WTTW reported.
The case involved six protesters charged with felony conspiracy under a statute that had never been used in the district.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Mecklenburg required three grand jury sessions to secure an indictment after initial juries refused.
Perry stated she had "never seen" such prosecutorial behavior and said, "trust has been broken."
The Justice Department is reviewing potentially 1,000 grand jury transcripts for similar problems and auditing Mecklenburg's work since 2007.
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