Former Chicago FBI Chief Sues DOJ Over Broadview Six Case
By Emma Carter
Image information
This is a representative image for this Daily News lesson.
Intro
A former Chicago FBI chief says he was wrongly blamed after prosecutions involving protesters known as the Broadview Six failed.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| prosecutions noun | noun | Meaning: legal cases brought against people for possible crimes | Example: The prosecutions continued for several months. |
| blamed adjective | adjective | Meaning: said to be responsible for something bad | Example: The manager was blamed for the mistake. |
| collapse noun | noun | Meaning: a sudden failure or end of something | Example: The collapse of the plan surprised everyone. |
| responsibility noun | noun | Meaning: duty for dealing with something or being accountable for it | Example: She accepted responsibility for the decision. |
| removal noun | noun | Meaning: the act of taking someone away from a job or place | Example: His removal from the team was unexpected. |
The story
Douglas DePodesta, a former chief of the FBI office in Chicago, is suing the U.S. Department of Justice. He says he was wrongly blamed after prosecutions involving protesters known as the Broadview Six fell apart.
DePodesta says U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros led the prosecutions. He says he was forced out of his job after those cases failed. His legal claim links the end of his work in Chicago to the collapse of the Broadview Six prosecutions.
The lawsuit concerns responsibility for what happened after the prosecutions fell apart. DePodesta’s position is that blame was placed on him unfairly. The Justice Department is the U.S. government department responsible for federal legal work. A U.S. attorney is a government lawyer who handles federal cases in a particular area.
The FBI is a federal agency that investigates many serious crimes and security issues. Its work can be connected to cases brought by government lawyers. In this dispute, DePodesta was the former Chicago FBI chief, while Boutros was the U.S. attorney named in connection with the prosecutions.
A lawsuit is a formal claim made in court. It gives the person bringing the case a way to state why he believes he was treated wrongly. It does not, by itself, decide whether that claim is correct. DePodesta is seeking a court process over his removal from the job, which he connects to the Broadview Six cases.
Warm-up questions
- What kinds of problems can cause someone to lose a job?
- What do you know about lawsuits and courts?
Comprehension questions
- Who is suing the U.S. Department of Justice?
- Who led the prosecutions involving the Broadview Six?
- Why does DePodesta say he was forced out of his job?
- What does a lawsuit give the person bringing the case?
- Does the lawsuit itself decide whether DePodesta's claim is correct?
Opinion questions
- Do you think people should be able to challenge an unfair job removal in court? Why?
- How important is it for government officials to accept responsibility for failed cases?
Further discussion
- What information would you want before deciding whether DePodesta was treated unfairly?
- How might failed prosecutions affect public trust in government agencies?
Writing prompt
- Write a short summary explaining DePodesta's lawsuit, the failed prosecutions, and his main claim.
