Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
AP: District attorney lashes out at ICE for detaining suspect in Boston during a trial
AP - District attorney lashes out at ICE for detaining suspect in Boston during a trial
By MICHAEL CASEY
Updated 1:32 PM EDT, April 2, 2025
BOSTON (AP) — A district attorney in Boston harshly criticized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Wednesday, after one of its agents detained a suspect while he was on trial.
ICE agent Brian Sullivan detained Wilson Martell-Lebron last week as he was leaving court. But a Boston Municipal Court judge issued a ruling Monday against Sullivan, arguing that he had deprived Martell-Lebron of his rights to due process and a fair trial by taking him into custody.
“This action by ICE was troubling an extraordinarily reckless,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said. “As the judge noted, ICE’s actions deprived Mr. Martell-Lebron of his right to a fair trial. It also deprived our office of our intent to hold the defendant accountable for his alleged crime.”
Hayden also argued that actions like this made Boston less safe - contrary to what, he said, ICE claims.
“I’ve watched ICE actions over the last few months, and I have concerns that those actions are harming our public safety goals,” he said. “We’re now finding witnesses reluctant to cooperate with investigators due to fear of ICE. This harms public safety. We are seeing victims refuse to provide information about crimes against them due to fear of ICE. This harms public safety.”
/snip
By MICHAEL CASEY
Updated 1:32 PM EDT, April 2, 2025
BOSTON (AP) — A district attorney in Boston harshly criticized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Wednesday, after one of its agents detained a suspect while he was on trial.
ICE agent Brian Sullivan detained Wilson Martell-Lebron last week as he was leaving court. But a Boston Municipal Court judge issued a ruling Monday against Sullivan, arguing that he had deprived Martell-Lebron of his rights to due process and a fair trial by taking him into custody.
“This action by ICE was troubling an extraordinarily reckless,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said. “As the judge noted, ICE’s actions deprived Mr. Martell-Lebron of his right to a fair trial. It also deprived our office of our intent to hold the defendant accountable for his alleged crime.”
Hayden also argued that actions like this made Boston less safe - contrary to what, he said, ICE claims.
“I’ve watched ICE actions over the last few months, and I have concerns that those actions are harming our public safety goals,” he said. “We’re now finding witnesses reluctant to cooperate with investigators due to fear of ICE. This harms public safety. We are seeing victims refuse to provide information about crimes against them due to fear of ICE. This harms public safety.”
/snip