NEW YORK: In a surprising development of an unusual nature former prosecutor Judy Russell’s plea of “not guilty by reason of insanity” to one count of corrupt endeavor to influence obstruct and impede due administration of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey was found to be valid by the Judge presiding over her criminal prosecution.
Judy Russell was the Special Assistant United States Attorney who represented the Government of India in the extradition case of Sukhmandir Singh and Ranjit Singh Gill and it was discovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she had been sending threatening letters, made to appear to be from sympathizers of the Sikhs, to the magistrate presiding over the case as well as herself. The first letter was sent on January 14, 1988 and such letters continued until March 3, 1988.
The letters caused authorities to take stringent security measures, which included shackling of the two respondents, Sukhminder Singh and Ranjit Singh Gill, throughout the course of the proceedings posting guards on rooftops and providing around the clock security to Ms. Russell.
Judy Russell had visited India in connection with the case and had continued to handle the case in spite of her opening a law firm with other former prosecutors and leaving the government.
She got herself admitted to a psychiatric institute after being discovered. The government had moved a plea to reopen the proceedings but the magistrate who presided over the case, Ronald J. Hedges had later denied the motion.
The respondents had filed requests for the “discovery” of relevant information pertaining to the known misconduct of Judy Russell but their request was denied virtually in it’s entirely by the magistrate. He however did order very few documents to be produced to him by the government for his examination alone. The lawyers for the respondents were not permitted to see these documents.
Sukhminder Singh and Ranjit Singh Gill were originally arrested by the FBI at a gas station in New Jersey on a warrant issued pursuant to the request of extradition by the Indian government which alleged that they were wanted in connection with offenses committed in India.
A commission of inquiry appointed by the Punjab Government and headed by Justice Ajit Singh Bains had exonerated both of them but the Police still did not drop the cases against them. They were also accused of killing former Indian army general Vaidya who had lead the army’s bloody assault in the Golden Temple in 1984 which resulted in the loss of thousands of innocent lives.
Talking to the World Sikh News Ronald Kuby an associate of the famous civil rights attorney William Kunstler who along with Kunstler and Ms. Mary B. Pike had appeared for the respondents said, “It is a tainted and corrupt conclusion to a completely tainted and corrupt extradition proceeding. He added that no prior notice was. Given by the Judge who presided over Ms. Russell’s case, Judge Politian, to the lawyers for the respondents about the criminal proceedings which took place on March 10 and though the court was open to public, no one was present because of this.
Judy Russell will not be required to serve any sentence in jail. She will only be required to undergo psychiatric treatment and may not even be required to be confined to a custodial mental health facility.
Both have been functionaries of the All India Sikh Students Federa.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 17, 1989
