Brooklyn's allegedly corrupt District Attorney Charles "Joe" Hynes appointed an "independent" panel to investigate 50 questionable convictions by his office, some that stretch back more than a decade. Many of these convictions involve allegedly suppressed evidence, coerced testimony, and, allegedly coerced perjured testimony. And now it turns out that some of the members of Hynes "independent" panel are his own campaign donors, friends and cronies.
Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes
The New York Post reports:
Three members of a special “independent” panel set up by Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes to review 50 of his office’s most controversial convictions donated to his re-election campaign, records show.
Law professor Robert Keating provided $500, attorney Laura Brevetti kicked in $250, and retired Judge Joseph Bellacosa forked over $1,000 to Hynes, according to campaign filings.
Hynes is facing the most serious re-election challenge of his 24-year career as Brooklyn’s top lawman.…
Hynes campaign spokesman George Arzt insisted the panelists remain independent, despite their support for the man whose office they are charged with reviewing.
“These three prominent New Yorkers had distinguished careers on the judiciary, and their integrity and objectivity is unquestioned,” he told The Post.
Hynes’ 40-page donor list was filled with other potentially questionable contributions, including money given by relatives of sitting Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Matthew D’Emic.
Records show that several relatives of the jurist contributed nearly $1,000 to re-elect Hynes.…
D’Emic would not comment when asked about the ethical implications of the contributions.…