Boston Antifa Judge Under Fire for Contempt Charges [OPINION]

Now suddenly the judge in the Antifa contempt of court story is a "racist" and an "insane, erratic nut." Of course this would be the play for the week in Boston. He crossed the left.

God bless you, Boston Municipal Court Judge Richard Sinnott, and kudos to Governor Baker for appointing someone who wouldn't be a wishy-washy pushover to the bench. Cops were hurt by this group and he means business, even if the D.A. is fine with it.

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins informed Judge Sinnott that her office wasn't going to pursue charges against the multiple defendants arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault, and other charges. Sinnott rejected her dismissal motions.

A defense lawyer for at least one of the Antifa or counter-protester defendants stood up and began to read a case law in support of the prosecutor's motion. Attorney Susan Church, an immigration lawyer at Demissi & Church in Cambridge, was told to stop speaking by Judge Sinnott but continued to read anyway. He held her in contempt. She was put in lock-up, because when a judge gives you instructions, you follow them or you are in contempt.

Today, the media blogosphere, social media and public statements from local progressive lawyers and journalists have called into question the sanity of Sinnott and whether he is competent to sit on the bench.

The answer is clearly yes. Judge Sinnott is sane and knows fully that Rollins wants him to be holding the bag if and when one of those she wanted to be freed with no charges ends up doing something crazy in the future.

In the future, she would otherwise have always been able to say, "Well yeah I did ask to dismiss but the judge signed off on this, so talk to him."

She invoked the nolle prosequi (Rule 16) but apparently failed to provide sound reasons for it in the judge's decision. He decided that she was abusing her powers. Rule 16 is a very basic rule:

"A prosecuting attorney may enter a nolle prosequi (refuse to pursue) of pending charges at any time prior to the pronouncement of sentence. A nolle prosequi shall be accompanied by a written statement, signed by the prosecuting attorney, setting forth the reasons for that disposition.

"Power to enter a nolle prosequi is absolute in the prosecuting officer from the return of the indictment up to the beginning of trial, except possibly in instances of scandalous abuse of the authority. " — Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedures, Mass.gov

While the D.A. seems to be just fine with the accused's dispositions, first-time charges or not, throwing rocks, bottles of urine and other unidentified materials by them injured the four police officers on Saturday, according to the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association.

Easy money says that President Trump jumps into this by Wednesday.

Ken Pittman is the host of The Ken Pittman Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact him at ken.pittman@townsquaremedia.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.