Notice: This op-ed was written by an anonymous citizen.
Op-Eds are contributed to Weazel News by members of the public and/or political figures and do not represent the opinions of our editorial board.
Justice. It is a word often used to justify the actions taken by one onto others. One may see avenging a friend as justice, while others see it as an act of violence to be punished. That is why departments like the Department of Justice (DOJ) were created to fit within the confines of a proper society. A department meant to be a paragon of fair and appropriate accountability for all the people of Los Santos. From the local man heading to work to the government bodies that inhabit the city, they are meant to be the precious balance between it all. But, the more we have observed, the less we see. In over 480 criminal cases, we have only ever seen less than 1% of those being against members of the government, who many allege to be corrupt. In contrast, the other 99% are dedicated to prosecuting civilians. But these words mean nothing to a person you do not know, which is why throughout this article, we will be providing words given to us by not just members of the government but civilians and even victims of the Department of Justice’s misconduct. For their safety, they will be kept anonymous to prevent any actions taken in retaliation by the Department of Justice toward the people involved and their loved ones.
Of all the people we spoke to, law enforcement was surprisingly more willing to speak out about alleged actions conducted by the DOJ. The one constant and glaring accusation was their lack of competence and oversight compared to most departments within the city. From allegedly not knowing what they are doing to needing to be trusted enough to execute their job fairly and unbiasedly, many officers’ faith in the DOJ is at an all-time low. One officer went as far as to allege that they would berate suspects in the cell, demanding they accept the charges pushed on them with no explanation for their supposed crimes. Another was willing to state that there have allegedly been some occasions where an officer will attempt to show leniency to a suspect, only for the DOJ to demand the officer outright to not only push full time and fines but also stack charges on top of the current ones for even questioning them.
Another common allegation, one we will be revisiting later, was their lack of empathy towards suspects. They do not seek to understand the people they are prosecuting, only wanting to send them to jail for an untold number of days, months, and years on little to no evidence.
One name that was commonly spoken of in disdain by witnesses to trials, officers, and even civilians was Liam McGrath. While we are not here to call out any specific department members for particular scrutiny of the public eye, this one does call for a lot of attention due to the allegations made by multiple witnesses in one specific case. First, we will get to the common accusation of unprofessional behavior. According to those willing to speak, he is seen as a liar, ready to throw anyone under the bus to save his skin. Some have gone as far as to allege that he does not stand for justice at all, going as far as forcing prosecution with no evidence simply for the sake of holding suspects until trial. One instance alleges that he once stormed into an active courtroom, demanding he is the first chair for a case he had no part in. When threatened with contempt of court, his reaction was to lash out at the judge, claiming that he would have them removed from their position should he not get his way. No word was ever passed if he faced a SABA review for his bar license or even received contempt of court charges after being escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs.
From their constant and alleged confrontational behavior towards government officials and civilians to their lack of empathy for people in unenviable positions due to circumstances out of their control or because of their personal beliefs, the DOJ has a clear swatch of behavior aimed at demoralizing, alienating and abusing all those they aim to prosecute. For one of the most, if not the most, glaring examples of their cruel and near authoritarian drive to prosecute, look no further than the case involving one Atticus McLoughlin and the gross negligence and lack of empathy shown by the DOJ. He was left to rot in a penitentiary even though someone else confessed to the crime he was being charged with. And for what? For caring for his wife and coming to her aid? A man with no previous criminal record and no visible, vocal distaste for the justice system was punished in the form of a hold until trial, abused by not being allowed to even speak to his wife or even his closest friends, and alienated by a department that was purely and inexcusably determined to never allow him a day in court to hide their ineptitude. And it would not be the first case of what appears to be purely malicious prosecution. Another more recent example is when someone was imprisoned for simply refusing to state their name. They did not seek to understand her views; they saw she was different and chose to keep her locked up as long as the law allowed them to.
We believe that the department has lost complete sight of its original purpose. Where once it was hailed as a safe haven by the people and trusted among the people, now it is seen as a cesspool of malpractice and incompetent behavior. A self-decadent grab at power to further their selfish power fantasies of people the common person “In the place.” Many will call for us to reveal ourselves, call us cowards and charlatans for choosing to remain anonymous in all aspects, even down to the people who were brave enough to provide their views. To them, we say we will not be goaded, intimidated, or coerced into revealing ourselves and the people involved. You, an entity who has forgotten justice. You, an entity that has chosen to proceed with volatile actions. You, an entity that no longer supports the people, are the most putrid thing in our city. May you live every moment of your empty and shallow lives clinging to power you know you are nothing without and know that you will never be on the side of good. The Department of Justice no longer stands for fair and proper actions. It is a department of abhorred standards and practices made to keep everyone, not with them, down. Justice without force is meaningless, but violence without justice is just violence.
