New documents produced in response to a Freedom of Information Act request show that U.S. District Court Chief Judge Linda Reade met frequently with the law-enforcement team that was actively engaged in the planning of the May 2008 raid on the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant and participated in preparations for the raid.
On this account, Judge Reade should have been legally disqualified from presiding at the federal trial of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin.
Judge Reade was required to disclose these meetings and her participation to defense lawyers, but the judge did not make any such disclosures before presiding over the trial last year.
The evidence shows Reade was not only provided with regular briefings on the raid preparations for more than six months before it occurred, but that she expressed her “support” for the raid, and directed that she be briefed on how it was to be carried out.
“The government’s own memoranda show that more than six months before the raid, Judge Linda Reade began a series of meetings in which she collaborated with the law-enforcement team that prosecuted the case against Sholom Rubashkin,” said Nathan Lewin, lead appellate counsel for Rubashkin.
“Without disclosing to defense counsel her meetings with the U.S. attorney and the support she expressed for the raid, she presided at Mr. Rubashkin’s trial, and then immediately had him imprisoned, and sentenced him to two years more in prison than the prosecution requested.”
In light of the new revelations, attorneys for Sholom Rubashkin filed a motion for a new trial Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Rubashkin was sentenced in June 2010 to 27 years in prison for bank fraud and related charges. Prosecutors had sought a 25-year prison term.
“Under federal law, as authoritatively interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Reade was required to disqualify herself from serving as the judge in Mr. Rubashkin’s trial or, at least, to make a full disclosure to the defense lawyers so they could decide whether to file a motion for recusal,” Lewin said. “The jury’s verdict must, on this account, be vacated, as well as Judge Reade’s decision to deny release on bail to Mr. Rubashkin.”
The government documents and e-mails were provided to Rubashkin’s counsel after the trial concluded, although their Freedom of Information Act request was filed in February 2009, more than eight months before his trial began. The government did not initially respond to repeated letters and calls from Rubashkin’s counsel seeking the FOIA documents, and Rubashkin’s attorneys eventually sued the Department of Homeland Security to procure the information.
The documents reveal that Reade began meeting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in October 2007, and advised law enforcement officials of her vacation schedule so that the raid would meet her “scheduling needs.” She also said in January 2008 she was “willing to support the operation in any way possible.”
In March 2008, Reade participated in a meeting that discussed “an overview of charging strategies, numbers of anticipated arrests and prosecutions, logistics, the movement of detainees, and other issues related to the [Agriprocessors] investigation and operation.”
According to one e-mail, Reade made specific requests for a “final gameplan” to be submitted to her about one month before the raid took place. She also “requested a briefing on how the operation will be conducted.”
“What can be learned from the redacted memoranda about Judge Reade’s participation in the planning of the raid on Agriprocessors may be only the tip of the iceberg,” Lewin said. “But even this tip is sufficient for an objective observer to doubt the perception of impartiality.”
The documents also show Sholom Rubashkin was the primary focus of the investigation before the raid.
In a PowerPoint presentation describing the planned raid — which may well have been displayed to Judge Reade during one of her “briefings” — ICE identified Mr. Rubashkin as the “Vice-President of the company,” and noted its belief “that one or more company officials may have knowledge of criminal conduct on the part of the company and may even be culpable themselves.”
In a separate memorandum written in advance of the raid, ICE explained that on the day of the raid, it would “execute a criminal arrest warrant” against a “corporate official.”
Mr. Rubashkin was not ultimately arrested on the day of the raid, but he is the only “corporate official” arrested, and therefore was probably the subject of that memorandum and discussions with Judge Reade. Under federal standards, those ex-parte conversations would be grounds for recusal of a judge.
Rather than disclosing her attendance at, and active participation in, planning meetings, either to the defendant or his attorneys, Reade rejected a related defendant’s recusal request and claimed she had only been engaged in “logistical cooperation” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who planned the May 2008 raid on Agriprocessors.
“Judge Reade’s apparent attempts to minimize her participation in the raid raise new suspicions and bolster doubts about Judge Reade’s impartiality in circumstances that are particularly worrisome,” said Lewin. “Under federal law a judge is disqualified, whether or not actually biased, if the average person on the street, knowing all the facts, would question the judge’s impartiality.”
Representatives of the Department of Justice and ICE also concealed Judge Reade’s participation in the raid planning to members of Congress.
In a hearing in July 2008 before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren asked law enforcement officials what information was provided to the federal court in Iowa and “what measures were taken to ensure that the court’s view of the cases would not be affected and that judicial neutrality would not be compromised?”
Deborah J. Rhodes, a senior associate deputy attorney general, responded that Judge Reade was only given a “heads up” for “logistical reasons.”
She did not acknowledge that Judge Reade was given briefings and “updates” on various substantive matters, as well as the fact that the raid was coordinated around Judge Reade’s “scheduling needs” and that Judge Reade had expressed her willingness “to support the operation in any way possible.”
As part of its motion for a new trial, Rubashkin’s attorneys have requested that Judge Reade transfer the motion to another judge for determination, “in order to preserve public confidence in the impartiality of the judicial system.”
FILES (in PDF format):
+ Memorandum of Law – click here
+ Guy Cook Affidavit – click here
+ F. Montgomery Brown Affidavit – click here
+ Nathan Lewin Affidavit – click here
Does anyone care about Justice anymore? She’s a judge for crying out loud
i think focusing on and saying tehillim would be the best idea, and not focus on all the comments which announce the yidden’s hatred towards another person even though that person may be wrong.. Let the legal system take care of her. What would the Rebbe do. Tracht good and be positive and we should hear good news.
according to halacha when there is a din torah any persons i.e. rabbi/dayan that has been consulted before and has given advice on the case is not allowed to sit in on the din torah as one of the three dayonim – unfortunately when this was pointed out at the din torah i attended i was told by the beis din “if i dont like it go choose another beis din” – it seems that this was the case here too so why is it ok for a beis din to say tough but not this judge – neither of… Read more »
amen amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
just like haman became really great b4 he fell so too with her
that judge needs a taste of her own medicine!
this could mean really good for rubashkin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To #60, that article was posted on 5/4/2009!! Obviously, it has had little bearing on things thusfar. Also, I think it was #28 who posted about the legal difficulties in overturning the conviction, etc. I think s/he is right about that. Don’t plan the סעודת הודאה quite yet. Finally, to all of you wishing death to Judge Reade – you sound like Muslims! Leave the דין וחשבון business to השי”ת. You want to be supportive of Rubashkin, great! Be supportive! Daven for his release. Daven for his welfare! Daven for his family! Those are positive things! Don’t daven for someone… Read more »
yemach shemam
but, b’ezrat h’ yisborach, mordechai hayehudi (reb sholom mordechai) will again come out triumphant.
i dont think comment no 33 was necesary
A modern day blood libel. Not only should the judge sit in jail for at least the 27 years that Sholom was sentenced to, the state of Iowa should be forced to pay restitution to Sholom for all the legal expenses incurred and be forced to fund the rebuilding of the Agri-Processors (somewhere else of course). The people of Iowa do not deserve that such a company be operating in their midst.
WABC
WOR
ETC>>>>>
call and call again
WE MUST MAKE NOISE!!!!!!
“The government documents and e-mails were provided to Rubashkin’s counsel after the trial concluded, although their Freedom of Information Act request was filed in February 2009, more than eight months before his trial began. The government did not initially respond to repeated letters and calls from Rubashkin’s counsel seeking the FOIA documents, and Rubashkin’s attorneys eventually sued the Department of Homeland Security to procure the information.”
americas has alot of justice
but it costs a lot of money
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/05/kosher-processer-rubashkin
-asks-for-a-new-judge/?iref=allsearch
with all the latest about this sickow lady ,AND now these awards etc,,,how can we send them both to , you know where? , i mean like if these zarazes are being onored – that means nebach that the matzev al pi teva , is farshruyft , umesaiemim beteiv
In a unanimous decision issued today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that many of the convictions and sentences given to immigrant detainees from the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville were in error.
According to the ruling, federal prosecutors have inappropriately used aggravated identity theft laws to prosecute undocumented workers. The decision directly impacts Iowa since of the 389 workers taken during a May 2008 raid at the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville, 302 were fast-tracked with criminal charges, most related to identity theft.:
http://iowaindependent.com/14786/us-supreme-court-slaps-postville-prosecutions
Boruch hashem, things are starting go look good
Everybody should say a lot of tehillim for Sholom Morcechai haLevi ben Rivka. The latest news, if it gets to the right judge, could easily have him out on bail and in good shape for a new trial very soon.
SAY TEHILLIM.
i cant wait for the seudas hoda
wsj as well
she knew what she was doing was illegal!!, can she get in trouble…like i dunno a life sentence seems good..not so bad no? i mean she did sentence it to a man so why not?
Interesting the seven prosecutors in the case just got a award for doing such a good job of injustice http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/08/05/agriprocessors-prosecution-team-receives-usda-award-from-vilsack/
Moshiach NoW!!
she should be hanged before purim and we will all say, Shalom, Mordechai:-)
IY”H Now Didan Notzchach
I hope she goes to jail now!!
continue to daven for him, say Tehillim, do acts of Chesed, give charity hopefully the merits will release him and put the marshas in jail soon!!!
This anti- Semite judge was put on this case, to pass harsh judgement on Shlomo. There is more than just a corrupt judge here. This is a conspiracy to shut down a kosher meat proccesor who serviced a large population of Jews kosher meat.
but reserve the dancing for later
such anti semitizim
didan notzach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is just krazy
We don’t know what is going to happen. We don’t know whether she will manage to cover up or bribe or who knows what. But all we know is that we have to trust in Hashem and in the end it’s the reshaim who suffer and the tzaddikim who win. So let’s hope that one didan notzach (with the seforim that were in russia) will lead to another with Rubashkin and so on and that the rasha (sounds like russia) linda reade yemach shemo will suffer gehinnom in both worlds and will get what she deserves
PUT THE JUDGE IN JAIL
she should be the one with life sentence!!!
What about all the pain and aggravation that Sholom Mordechai went through? 1. STEALING his company (the biggest kosher meat company in the U.S.A.) that he and his father spent 30 YEARS to build 2. Putting him for 8 months behind bars. Many of those days he was not even allowed to put on Talis and Tefillin, and many of those days he was not even allowed to wear a Yarmulka and Tzitzis. 3. Putting him for a month in a cell with a violent inmate who would beat him every day 4. putting him for a month in SOLITARY… Read more »
you are referring to Hayom Yom of 24 Shvat which quotes the
Tzemach Tzedek:”If only y
You are referrung to the Hayom Yom of 24 Shvat in which the Tzemach Tzedek is quoted: :if you only knew the power of the psukim of Tehillim and what they accomplish on high you would recite them at all times…”
This will win big time.
I bet you all.
Nothing to do with what rabbi SMR Was found guilty, If she was involved in any of theese acts, she has a personal view on Rabbi SMR, And not a judgemental view, this takes her out from all cases against him. Further more she broke a federal law and can find herself in the very same place where Rabbi SMR Is today…
To the family of Rubashkin i Say:
Pack your bags back to Postville and keep the Shlichus flame runing, “Der Rebbe hot menetzach geven”. (Period)
Great Article. To:RealOMG We’ll see if Mr. Lewin has success. He thinks differently. What a stupid legal system! One judge for a serious case…or any case. What if she did act illegally? Look at all the suffering, pain and money loss that has occurred because of America’s system of justice…Chelm town. A ‘Super Power’ with a ‘3rd World’ form of justice. America has ‘brains’ for building this and that, but no ‘brains’ for administering justice to its citizens. America will give you after-school counseling, psychological help, clinics, advisers, WIC, remedial reading, math, parks, playgrounds, summer camps; they help you when… Read more »
Linda Reade was divorced 3 times.
i m not very informed on the latest AGU”CH , taking the russian govermennt to a usa BADATZ ,i cant be sure if or not this is what the rebbe wants , ( i do remember the the rebbe was NOT for the public demonsration’s ect – VEDAL) , so MAYBE MAYBE , if they have any keiach to YES do anything ,let them take that TZATZKE – bandit , to court, and AL bli neder NOT stop doing the good things that i started to do in the zchus of our dear sholem mordchai ,zaigebencht,,,,,,soon we will beezras hashem… Read more »
almost that Lynch – style – get it over with fast – attitude of Judge Reade. Haste makes Waste – and in this case it’ll be Reade’s job and life. Shame on her and her lynch mob ilks, may Hashem dufke turn the tables in a Purim Shpiel achshav.
what gr8 news!!! baruch hashem!!! why dosent everyone say how good this is!!!
Declare a mistrial and set Reb Sholom Mordechai free NOW! GEVALDIG!!!
he will ImY”H be out. People, I honestly believe that it is the Tehilim that did this.
Never underestimate the power of Tehilim.
Which Rebbe said that if someone knew the power of Tehilim he would never be without one.
Besuros Tovos
And may she have a downfall as is being wised by everyone. Collective opposite of brocho for her should work.
H’ will protect us n the end!!!!
IYH” he will be out of jail and mistame she will be in.
It seems that most posters herein don’t understand the issues at hand. What Judge Reade did was within her responsibility as Chief Justice in that Circuit, she has a responsibility to make sure that when a defendant is arrested that they see a magistrate judge, for the initial appearance were they are informed of their actual charges that it is within the limited time required by the law. To dump 700 new defendants on the court and expect to have them before the magistrate within the prescribed time is crazy. But regardless what Judge Reade did was within her prescribed… Read more »
there was so much info that could of been sent to the media outlets if they wanted to print the real story it would of been out a while ago but they would not do that cause the same people that put him in jail are the ones putting articles in the paper and to #20 you are so right
Is this being sent to american news?
she should be exposed and SMR should get national coverage! He deserves to be publicly heard!
so whatz gonna happen now?
Nothing will come of this unless the Public is involved.
Judge Reade may very well receive a ‘slap’ for this, but SMR will continue to serve his sentence unless the Public / Media is involved. Sadly, this is America.
“im mezera hayehudee asher hachilosa linpol lefonov lo suchal lo ki nofol tipol lefonov”
אִם מִזֶּרַע הַיְּהוּדִים מָרְדֳּכַי אֲשֶׁר הַחִלּוֹתָ לִנְפֹּל לְפָנָיו לֹא תוּכַל לוֹ כִּי נָפוֹל תִּפּוֹל לְפָנָיו”.
Rubashkin could very well be let out; while Reade could face charges of corruption which might well bar her from ever becoming a judge again. Amen.
She will fall….. Just like mell Gibson !! Do not bother the Jews, EVER!!!!!!!
i hope she is punished very soon
and so does this mean that their doing the whole thing all over?
Finally the female version of Haman is being exposed as the marsha’as that she is. May she have the same fate as Haman and worse. Hopefully, with her removal and the aquittal of Rubashkin after having had time served, he will return home to his family and be compensated fully by trhe US government for the suffering he and his family had to endure due to thisevil woman. Perhaps faith and trust in the Americal judicial system will be restored.
Reade has said she had limited “logistical cooperation” with law enforcement prior to the raid, to ensure that the detained immigrants were given attorneys and interpreters. Defense lawyers claim Reade participated in a series of meetings with immigration agents and prosecutors prior to the raid that went beyond that that limited role. E-mails obtained through a Freedom of Information lawsuit show that the raid “appears to have been timed in comport with her vacation schedule, and that she and the prosecutors together ‘surveyed’ the location where detainees would be held and their trials conducted,” defense lawyers wrote in the motion.… Read more »
totally agree
May this the beginning of a yeshua
She will fall from the gallows she built.
v’chol karne reshoim agadeia
v’troimno karnois tzaddik!
All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off;
but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted!
i pra for smr everyday and he has my full support.
however, this wont get anywhere. the fact that she was brifed on the raid,m has nothing to do with the fincial fraud case. that has to do with the imigration case.. which she DID NOT proside over. lets hope and pray… but this really wont get them far in my opinion.
I hereby sentence this judge (you think 30 years) to 32 years.
is this the justice system in the land of the free?? the department of justice better open an investigation and have her disbarred. lets see them take this seriously the same zealousness they took down the rubashkin family and postville jewish community
it was so obvious that the jugde had her own agenda,that kkk jugde should be remove from the job.
is that good or bad or both?
this story should be sent to all the major news outlets!!!!!!!
and deserves it like all reshoyim
such coruption