Rep. Evangelos asks U.S. DOJ to investigate Maine criminal justice system

Retiring state Rep. Jeff Evangelos requested the U.S. Division of Justice on Sunday to put Maine’s prison justice system beneath federal evaluate and supervision for what he stated are a number of makes an attempt by the legal professional basic’s workplace to thwart reform through the previous 4 years.

Evangelos (I-Friendship) has been an outspoken supporter of progressive prison justice reforms all through his 4 phrases within the state Legislature, which ends on Tuesday. He served on the legislative Judiciary Committee, which oversees the legal professional basic’s workplace, and he sponsored payments to introduce new post-conviction proof, enhance indigent public protection providers and permit parole amongst different reforms.

His letter addressed to U.S. Lawyer Common Merrick Garland included hyperlinks to The Maine Monitor and different information organizations’ reporting, which he known as a “file of proof” that the state’s courtroom system is collapsing. 

Among the many situation highlighted are the dwindling availability of prison protection attorneys for the state’s poor, Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill’s current feedback that the state’s prison courtroom system is “failing,” Maine’s excessive price of police shootings in comparison with different New England states and the legal professional basic workplace’s findings that these shootings have been justified.

The U.S. Division of Justice didn’t reply to the Monitor’s request for remark in time for publication on Monday. It’s unclear if the company will act on Evangelos’ request.

Components of Maine’s prison courtroom system are already being examined. The Maine Advisory Committee to the U.S. Fee on Civil Rights is presently enterprise a evaluate of the state’s court-appointed protection system. The panel is predicted to publish a report of its findings. 

The Maine chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union can be suing state officers for allegedly offering indigent grownup prison defendants with an ineffective protection system. The legal professional basic workplace and ACLU agreed to carry settlement talks and had not reached an settlement as of late November.

Evangelos despatched the letter on Sunday and was the one signatory. He stated he shared the letter afterwards with about 10 lawmakers and supplied to allow them to signal on. Evangelos had not obtained a response from the DOJ as of Monday morning.

Evangelos has led a number of reform efforts whereas in workplace, together with a invoice to get rid of the one-year statute of limitation on introducing newly found proof in convicted individuals’ instances. The invoice handed the Home, 88-51, in June 2021 however died within the state Senate. A fiscal evaluation estimated it might price the courts, legal professional basic, district legal professional’s and the state’s public protection company not less than $1.7 million yearly. Evangelos disputes that the value can be that top.

Evangelos stated Lawyer Common Aaron Frey is responsible. Frey was elected as legal professional basic in 2019 and served within the Home of Representatives with Evangelos from 2012 to 2018.

“It’s a systemic collapse and Aaron Frey has to go. I hope another person will probably be nominated tomorrow, as a result of Maine’s prison justice system has collapsed round his toes,” Evangelos stated throughout an interview on Monday.

A newly elected batch of state lawmakers will probably be sworn in on Wednesday. Evangelos didn’t search election to workplace this yr. He’s additionally battling most cancers.

Senators and Representatives vote by secret poll to elect an legal professional basic each two years. 

“The Workplace of the Lawyer Common believes it’s critical to keep up ongoing, constructive conversations with legislators and the general public. Lawyer Common Frey has engaged considerably and in good religion with Rep. Evangelos, as he has with many different legislators, over the past 4 years and he’ll proceed to take action,” Danna Hayes, a spokeswoman for the legal professional basic’s workplace wrote on Monday.

“The Workplace of the Lawyer Common is one in every of many actors within the prison justice system, together with the Judiciary, the protection bar, and the Legislature, amongst others, who share duty for the challenges it faces. And Lawyer Common Frey will proceed the work vital to search out options, stay devoted to the details, the legislation, and moral obligations and, in the end, to make sure justice for Maine individuals,” she added.