Queens

Law professors filed a grievance regarding Jesse Sligh’s misconduct that led to the wrongful conviction and imprisonment of Clinton Turner. The federal District Court held that Sligh committed a Brady violation when he failed to provide the criminal record of the complainant, leading to a jury relying on false testimony.

Turner languished in prison for 10 years because of this misconduct. Three years after Turner was wrongfully convicted, Sligh was promoted to an executive position in the Queens District Attorney’s Office (QDAO) ─ a position he held until his retirement in 2020.

Despite the findings of misconduct, the New York Attorney Detail Report lists “Disciplinary History: No record of public discipline” for Sligh at the time the professors filed this grievance.

Sligh’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.