Sheri H. Mecklenburg, the lead prosecutor in the dismissed "Broadview Six" case, resigned from the Justice Department "under protest," alleging the Chicago U.S. Attorney's Office pushed felony charges over her objections and then blamed her when the prosecution failed. Mecklenburg identified U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros as directing felony charges and said she had been threatened with dismissal for speaking up. A federal judge threw the case out with prejudice in April after finding Boutros had contacted grand jurors; the DOJ denies her claims.
DOJ Prosecutor Resigns 'Under Protest,' Accuses Chicago Office Of Pushing 'Broadview Six' Charges
DOJ Prosecutor Quits, Says She Was Given Orders on “Broadview Six”
The lead prosecutor in the failed prosecution of the so-called "Broadview Six" resigned from the Justice Department "under protest," accusing the Chicago U.S. Attorney's Office of pushing politically motivated felony charges and then leaving her to take the blame.
In a resignation letter obtained by The New York Times, Sheri H. Mecklenburg wrote that she was made a scapegoat for the Justice Department's unsuccessful case against six people who protested outside an ICE detention center in Broadview last year. Mecklenburg says she was pressured to pursue felony charges and threatened with dismissal if she challenged the office's handling of the matter. She identified U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros as the official who directed felony charges over her objections and later distanced himself when the case collapsed.
"Preventing me from defending myself is particularly reprehensible given the Office's failure to adequately defend me.... You sent an office-wide email laying responsibility at my feet for a felony prosecution that you personally directed over my objection that the case was better suited to misdemeanor charges," she wrote. "You then publicly announced an investigation of my conduct spanning twenty years. These inexplicable actions severely damaged a reputation I worked hard to build over decades and have damaged my prospects for future employment and income."
The Justice Department has denied Mecklenburg's assertions.
What Happened In The Case
Federal prosecutors originally charged the Broadview Six — a group that included then-congressional candidate Kat Abugazaleh — with felony conspiracy counts tied to an incident in which protesters blocked an ICE vehicle. The felony charges carried a potential maximum sentence of six years in prison.
In April, a federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice after finding that Boutros had communicated with members of the grand jury in the matter. The judge's finding effectively ended the prosecution and raised questions about the office's conduct.
Reactions And Broader Stakes
Observers and critics have framed the episode as part of a larger pattern of aggressive prosecutions that some say reflect political pressure rather than independent legal judgment. Supporters of Mecklenburg say her resignation and allegations warrant further review; the Justice Department's denial leaves the matter poised for additional scrutiny as details of the internal investigation emerge.
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