Charges against the "Broadview Six" or six people, including progressive politicians, who were protesting outside of the Broadview ICE processing facility during "Operation Midway Blitz," were dismissed after it was revealed prosecutors in the case had redacted and removed pages from grand jury transcripts. They also failed to disclose interactions with grand jurors that defense attorneys say amounted to an intentional "coverup" of prosecutorial misconduct.
It's also believed Andrew S. Boutros had personal contact with the grand jury.
On Wednesday, Boutros announced a remediation plan that includes the "most substantial and significant changes in decades."
"U.S. Attorney Boutros and the Department of Justice have also taken swift action related to internal personnel matters," a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
The changes took effect Tuesday.
The release said the changes will streamline the office's grand jury processes and disclosures.
"The new process moving forward will be more transparent, effective, and impactful while greatly reducing the likelihood of mistakes and errors," the release said.
The reforms establish expectations and rules for federal prosecutors related to grand jury disclosures.
The plan includes increased and expanded education about grand jury presentations.
The news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office also said after learning of certain conduct by the government in the grand jury of a recent case, the office moved to dismiss the indictment in that case. It's not clear if Boutros' office was referring to the "Broadview Six" case.
The office continues to conduct a review after the case the release mentioned.
"He's taking a hard look at what's been happening and what is happening at the office and is effectively retraining people on what they should and shouldn't be doing. Really there are basics of grand jury practice that people should have been trained on and should have known already," ABC7 Chicago legal analyst Gil Soffer said.
Judge April Perry last week admonished prosecutors for potential misconduct and ethical violations.
Boutros also acknowledged a prosecutor misled the grand jury through the improper practice of vouching for evidence.
"Vouching is when you literally would tell the grand jurors, 'Hey, don't worry. I wouldn't bring a case unless it's just.' Like, you can't do that, right?" defense attorney Christopher Parente said.
"You can't say, 'Trust me. Trust the evidence because I wouldn't bring you any case other than a good one,'" Soffer said.
Boutros says, in addition to reviewing his office's handling of the "Broadview Six" case, it's "...reached out to defendants' attorneys in other cases..." handled by those same prosecutors.
Already, lawyers for a defendant in a separate fraud prosecution of Loretto Hospital executives want their indictment dismissed.
Attorneys for Mahmood Sami Khan in a filing alleged "...grand jury misconduct was pervasive..." and "...part of a pattern of misconduct that is widespread... ."
"If I were a defense attorney in any case where this prosecutor or these prosecutors had appeared before the grand jury, I'd be bringing motions," Soffer said.