Justice Delayed: How Prosecutors' Mistakes Sent an Innocent Teen to Prison

In a shocking turn of events, two former prosecutors from Plymouth County are now facing serious consequences for their actions in a case that wrongfully imprisoned a young student for 17 years. The Board of Bar Overseers found their behavior unacceptable, highlighting how their actions damaged the trust in the legal system. The prosecutors, John Bradley Jr. and Karen O’Sullivan, were found guilty of withholding important evidence that could have proven Frances Choy's innocence. They also showed bias against her, which is a big no-no in the legal world. The board members were not happy about this, saying it made the whole system look bad. Frances Choy, a 17-year-old honors student at Brockton High School, was accused of setting a fire that killed her parents. The prosecutors took three tries to convict her, finally succeeding in 2011. She was sentenced to two life terms without parole. But in 2020, the conviction was overturned when the misconduct came to light. The fire happened in April 2003. Firefighters arrived early in the morning and found Frances and her nephew, Kenneth, yelling for help. The adults inside were unconscious and later died from their injuries. The fire was deemed suspicious, and a note was found in Kenneth's room outlining a plan for the arson. Frances and Kenneth were tried separately. Kenneth was acquitted, but Frances's trials ended in mistrials twice. Prosecutors then made a deal with Kenneth to testify against Frances, which led to her conviction in the third trial. However, the Boston College Innocence Program later found evidence of innocence and prosecutorial racism, leading to the overturning of her conviction. The trial judge, Linda Giles, noted that the prosecutors' emails showed anti-Asian bias. She also found that they had introduced false testimony and failed to share exculpatory evidence with the defense. This is a clear example of how prosecutorial misconduct can lead to innocent people being imprisoned. The Board of Bar Overseers recommended sanctions for both prosecutors. They suggested a one-year suspension for Bradley and a two-year suspension for O’Sullivan. One member even recommended an indefinite suspension for O’Sullivan. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of fairness and integrity in the legal system.