A former prosecutor in the Brooklyn DA's office was admonished by a judge for giving her defense lawyer fiance (now husband) information about prosecution witnesses. The Daily News reports that Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Guy Mangano said of Sandra Fernandez, "This was a despicable act...Not only has she violated her oath, but the trust of the people of this county." Fernandez ran criminal history and vehicle information checks on prosecution witnesses to help her fiance, Douglas Rankin undercut their testimony. Rankin's client, on trial for a shooting, was acquitted, but the Brooklyn DA's office was suspicious that Rankin had such information at his disposal. Fernandez, who once claimed prosecutors ran rap sheets to colleagues, was given probation, as well as stripped of her law license (she can reapply in seven years). more ›

Prosecutors having intimate relationships with defense lawyers happens on TV shows all the time, but a real life drama is playing out in Brooklyn. Former prosecutor Sandra Fernandez, accused of using her position in the Brooklyn DA's office to give information to her defense lawyer fiance, was arraigned on 12 counts of criminal charges. Fernandez allegedly ran criminal history and motor vehicle checks on three prosecution witnesses in cases handled by fiance - and now... more ›