Perp Walks: Bronx Man Accused of Attempted Murder of Police Officer Allowed to Walk Due to Mishandling of Case By Prosecutor

Darren Morris, 27, a parolee accused of trying to kill a police officer, has hit the jackpot. Morris will walk after Bronx prosecutor Christine Scaccia missed a series of court dates that resulted in the judge eventually forcing all charges to be dropped for lack of prosecution.

Morris allegedly fired two bullets at Officer Daniel Beddows in November 2009. He was facing attempted murder charges and could have easily killed Beddows but for the stereotypical “luck of the draw.” Scaccia, a 20-year veteran prosecutor, is facing disciplinary charges for her mishandling of the case.

This is a rare case of a judge dismissing such a case. While courts routinely hammer defense counsel on deadlines, prosecutors know that many judges are unlikely to dismiss a case for their own failures to file papers or meet trial dates. They rely on the “sticker shock” factor of allowing an accused criminal to walk to deter serious sanctions.

Source: NY Post as first seen on ABA Journal