Judge Tosses Stevens’ Prosecutors’ Suspensions

Administrative Judge Benjamin Gutman reversed the suspensions of former prosecutors Joseph Bottini and James Goeke.

The two appealed their suspensions, which have not been enforced yet.

Bottini, now an assistant U.S. Attorney in Anchorage was suspended 40 days without pay. Goeke, an assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington State, lost 15 days of pay.

The ruling says the two received harsher than necessary punishments because the Department of Justice did not follow its own procedures. A senior attorney at Justice investigated the two instead of a subordinate lawyer.

Bottini and Goeke were originally charged with prosecutorial misconduct. They failed to follow legal procedure by not offering up character-damaging information about their star witness, disgraced former Veco executive Bill Allen.

The Department of Justice would not comment for the story. A spokesperson said the Department is reviewing the matter.

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