You are a young prosecutor with only two years of experience trying criminal cases. A gang fight erupts in
an Asian neighborhood which results in the deaths of two rival gang members. Upon interviewing
residents of the area who might have seen happened, police officers cannot find anyone willing to make a
statement. They, do, however, recover substantial physical evidence that links two particular suspects to
the crime. While you are trying to decide what to do, local Asian Americans protest the treatment citizens
receive from police officers,
causing a major uproar at City Hall. As a result, your supervisor tells you to drop the case since it will
likely result in a political disaster.
Given that the gang problem has become a topic of interest for the police and is of some concern to the
courts as well, what do you do? Assume also that you have what you think to be enough evidence to obtain a warrant for the arrest of the suspects.
Questions
What do you do? Do you proceed despite your supervisor's orders? What is the dilemma for you?
What kind of repercussions might you experience if you decide to continue with the case? What would
they be if you decided to drop it?
Why would the po ice chief, the district attorney, and the mayor want you to drop the case?
Can a group such as Asian Americans, which typically represent a small percentage of the crime
statistics and are usually less vocal than other minority groups, really have an impact on local politics? How?
Sample Solution