Queens

Law professors filed a grievance regarding Franchesca Basso’s misconduct in People v. Baez, which she prosecuted for the Queens District Attorney’s Office (QDAO).

During the Baez trial, the Appellate Division found that Basso violated the rule of bolstering in her opening and closing statements as well as in her questioning. Generally excluded as hearsay, “bolstering” means the presentation of evidence at trial of a prior consistent statement intended to validate trial testimony.

Despite Basso’s violation of the rules that govern prosecutorial commentary at trial, she appears to have suffered no public disciplinary or professional repercussions.

Basso’s misconduct in Queens was far from unique; serious misconduct at QDAO has been regularly reported for years.

Powerful positions require the highest accountability. We cannot reward prosecutors for breaking the rules.