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Federal officials rarely were punished for their misconduct, despite the fact that they caused some victims to lose their jobs, assets and even families, the newspaper said. It also reported thatsome victims went to prison because prosecutors withheld favorable
evidence or allowed fabricated testimony, while some criminals walked free as a reward for conspiring with the government.
    
It's a result-oriented process today, fairness be damned, said Robert Merkle, who served as a U.S. attorney in Florida from 1982 to 1988 and is now a defense lawyer in Tampa.
    
The philosophy of the past 10 to 15 years (is) that whatever works is what's right,' he told the Post-Gazette.
    
The U.S. Justice Department, which oversees federal prosecutors,denied the newspaper's allegations.
    
Our prosecutors live by strict, comprehensive and effective ethics rules,' Myron Marlin, a department spokesman in Washington, told The Associated Press.

They are governed by the rules in the
states where they are licensed, the courts where the case is triedand by federal regulation as well.
    
Our office that oversees prosecutorial conduct (Office of Professional Responsibility) reviews every complaint and vigorously pursues prosecutors who cross the line.'
    
During the newspaper's investigation, the Justice Department did not respond to questions it posed in writing, nor would it return phone calls requesting comment.
    
The Post-Gazette said the problems have worsened as Congress has eliminated many of the checks and balances designed to prevent the abuse of power. For instance, federal sentencing guidelines say a
person who pleads guilty to a crime and is cooperative should receive a lesser sentence than someone who fights a charge and is convicted at trial.
    
The courts used to be a buffer between prosecutors and the rights of defendants,' said Bennett Gershman, a former New York State prosecutor who teaches law at Pace University. ``They are now simply a rubber stamp.'
    
No matter what offense a federal prosecutor may commit in pursuing an investigation, a criminal defendant is practically powerless to sue for damages, the newspaper found.

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