Justice Department admits misconduct on mob case (the accused now works in counterterrorism)

BOSTON -- A federal prosecutor in Boston "engaged in professional misconduct and exercised poor judgment" while prosecuting a federal racketeering case in the early 1990s, according to a letter filed in federal court on Thursday.

In response to a critical letter from the judge who presided over the case, the Justice Department conducted an internal investigation and wrote back that disciplinary action had been taken against Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Auerhahn because of his misconduct in prosecuting Mafia boss Vincent Ferrara and associate Pasquale Barone.

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf found three years ago that Auerhahn had withheld evidence in the 1985 slaying of Vincent "Jimmy" Limoli.

The Justice Department refused to detail their findings or disclose what disciplinary action had been taken against Auerhahn, who currently handles counterterrorism cases.

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Wolf found in 2003 that Auerhahn had improperly withheld evidence from defense lawyers by failing to disclose that a witness had recanted his claim that Ferrara ordered Limoli's murder.

More:
http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO41958/