D.C. prosecutor 'manipulated evidence' in cases against anti-Trump protesters: report

A prosecutor in Washington D.C. is being accused of "manipulating evidence" to strengthen criminal cases against demonstrators who years ago protested against former President Donald Trump.

The Washington Post reports that prosecutor Jennifer Kerkhoff Muyskens is being accused of working with Washington D.C. Police Detective Greggory Pemberton of deceptively editing videos of people who demonstrated at Trump's inauguration in 2017.

The allegations are being leveled by Washington D.C.’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which is charged with investigating complaints of prosecutorial misconduct.

According to the Post, Muyskens could face a range of penalties including disbarment if the charges against her -- which include allegations that "she violated the rules of professional conduct, knowingly made false statements, obstructed defense attorneys’ access to evidence, and concealed or altered evidence" -- are upheld.

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The charges against Muyskens claim that she and Pemberton not only cut out portions of the videos in which the demonstrators discussed engaging in nonviolent action, but also concealed the fact that they obtained footage of the protesters from Project Veritas, a right-wing sting organization that has faced widespread criticism in the past for using deceptive editing to portray political opponents in an unfavorable light.

As the Post's report notes, Muyskens' case against the roughly 200 demonstrators arrested for their actions at Trump's inauguration largely fell apart, as just 10 percent of the demonstrators pleaded guilty ahead of the trial and the D.C. government wound up paying $1.6 million to settle lawsuits that alleged mistreatment of the demonstrators.