NCJ Number
65380
Date Published
1934
Length
84 pages
Annotation
TESTIMONY IS SUMMARIZED TO SHOW THAT FROM 1930 TO 1934 THE PROSECUTOR OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, WAS GUILTY OF MISDEMEANOR IN OFFICE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION.
Abstract
A SPECIAL COMMITTEE WAS CREATED BY THE NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE IN MARCH 1934 TO INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION BY STATE OFFICIALS, AND BY JUNE TWO IMPEACHMENTS HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED. PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE CONDUCTED CONCERNING ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND OVER 100 ADDITIONAL WITNESSES WERE EXAMINED IN PRIVATE SESSIONS. WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, ATTORNEYS, POLICE, AND CLERKS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE WERE EVASIVE IN THEIR TESTIMONY AND CLAIMED IGNORANCE OF MATTERS WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITHIN THEIR KNOWLEDGE. A PARTIAL EXAMINATION OF THE PROSECUTOR'S FILES REVEALED MANY IRREGULARITIES SUCH AS INEXCUSABLE TRIAL DELAY AND SUPPRESSION OF VITAL EVIDENCE. WHEN THE PROSECUTOR TOOK OFFICE, HE SELECTED AS THE CHIEF COUNTY DETECTIVE A MAN WHO HAD FEW PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND WHO REPUTEDLY ASSOCIATED WITH GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS. WITNESSES, TESTIMONY SHOWED THAT LARGE SCALE COLLECTIONS WERE BEING MADE FROM SPEAKEASY PROPRIETORS AND OTHERS ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL LIQUOR SALES IN EXCHANGE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST POLICE RAIDS AND PROSECUTION. MOREOVER, REPORTS ON GAMBLING ACTIVITIES SUBMITTED TO THE PROSECUTOR WERE DESTROYED. TESTIMONY ALSO INDICATED THAT GAMBLING OPERATORS WERE PAYING COUNTY OFFICIALS FOR PROTECTION. THE BANK ACCOUNTS OF THE CHIEF DETECTIVE SHOWED DEPOSITS THAT WERE CONSIDERABLY LARGER THAN HIS SALARY, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE DISCREPANCY. THE WORK OF THE INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE WAS HINDERED BY A LACK OF RECORDED INFORMATION (THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE DID NOT RECORD SEIZURES AND DISPOSALS AT LIQUOR) AND FEAR OF REPRISALS ON THE PART OF WITNESSES. SINCE IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS COULD NOT BE HELD BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE PROSECUTOR'S TERM, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT ITS REPORT BE TRANSMITTED TO A STATE SUPREME COURT JUDGE WHO HAD THE POWER TO REMOVE THE STATE'S CRIMINAL BUSINESS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. (MJM)