A Newark, NJ lawyer has been charged with a murder conspiracy to silence a witness against one of his clients.  The attorney, Paul Bergrin, is a prominent defense counselor for alleged narcotics dealers and distributors in northern New Jersey.  He is accused of hiring a hit man to kill a witness that was scheduled to testify against his client.

This incident is yet another in a long list of witness intimidation cases that have surrounded the drug trade in large American cities.  In my hometown of Baltimore, home of the “Stop Snitchin‘” movement (which has its own logo and T-Shirts seen to the left), intimidation has become so commonplace that witnesses are routinely murdered.  Defendants have even taken to threatening them while they sit on the stand in open court.  Assuring the safety of witnesses is vital to a functional justice system in our cities.  The brutal violence practiced by those engaged in the drug trade to deter any threat of prosecution by the state has completely undermined the authority of government when seeking to stamp out the drug trade. Police, legislatures and prosecutors need to start going after those who intimidate witnesses with the same energy they pursue copkillers, for without a functioning court system to actually lock up criminals, what good is a police department?

LINKS:

NY Times: Prominent Newark lawyer charged in murder conspiracy

Asbury Park Press: Attorney indicted on racketeering, conspiracy charges in connection with drug cases

Bergen Now: Former federal prosecutor charged with racketeering conspiracy, including murder of federal witness