There is a remarkable Magistrate Judge sitting in DC. His name is Zia M. Faruqui , and his actions must be astounding to the Desantis drones we have here in Florida.
In recent weeks, Judge Faruqui has called out federal prosecutors for making an end run around a federal grand jury. When a federal grand jury refused to indict a defendant on a gun case, the prosecutors ran to a DC jury and got the indictment. The NY Times article is here.
“I am not a rubber stamp, as frustrating as that may be to the government,” he said
We can hear the drones gasping. "Wait! Prosecutors charged someone and the judge didn't accept the charges??? Can he do that? And wouldn't that perhaps stop him from getting an appointment to the district court? Why in the world would a judge publicly help a defendant and hurt himself in the process?"
Judge Zia Faruqui is pretty much our new favourite federal judge.
But wait! There's more!
Here's a remarkable order in which Judge Faruqui questions the truthfulness, reasonableness, and downright intelligence of law enforcement officers who stopped and searched a man of color, who was well dressed and in an upscale mall, for....wait for it...adjusting his backpack!!!
From the order (the link to the order is here)
This was an illegal search.
Before the first opportunity to have its case pressure tested, the government folded. The
U.S. Attorney admitted to “mov[ing] to dismiss the charges once she was shown body camera
footage of the arrest on Friday.
...
Riley was wearing a backpack. Officers found that suspicious
because it looked as if something heavy was inside of it. See Compl. ¶ 3. Isn’t that the point of
backpacks: to carry heavy things, like laptops, books, etc.? The body worn camera from the officer
shows how mundane the backpack appears...
Adjusting a backpack is neither a crime, nor does it give rise to reasonable suspicion
of one. Elementary-school experience and the caselaw support that.
OMG! we can hear the drones exclaiming. A judge that has issued a ruling against the prosecution and police with the type of common sense he says one acquires in elementary school. He is surely sunk. He will never get elevated with opinions like that.
So there you have it. A judge who most certainly isn't a drone simply calling balls and strikes where every call favors the prosecution. And in 2025 to boot! Imagine that.