Probation for Pillow-Talking, Ex-Brooklyn Prosecutor

Jen Chung

Published Dec 13, 2008

Modified Dec 13, 2008

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Jen Chung

Published Dec 13, 2008

Modified Dec 13, 2008

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A former prosecutor in the Brooklyn DA's office was admonished by a judge for giving her defense lawyer fiance (now husband) information about prosecution witnesses. The Daily News reports that Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Guy Mangano said of Sandra Fernandez, "This was a despicable act...Not only has she violated her oath, but the trust of the people of this county." Fernandez ran criminal history and vehicle information checks on prosecution witnesses to help her fiance, Douglas Rankin undercut their testimony. Rankin's client, on trial for a shooting, was acquitted, but the Brooklyn DA's office was suspicious that Rankin had such information at his disposal. Fernandez, who once claimed prosecutors ran rap sheets to colleagues, was given probation, as well as stripped of her law license (she can reapply in seven years).