In this Sunday's gospel narrative of the Passion, we hear how members of the Sanhedrin used questionable tactics as they tried to obtain testimony against Jesus. Amid allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, the U.S. Justice Department this week asked a federal judge to toss out the conviction of former U.S. senator Ted Stevens of Alaska on corruption charges.

The request caps the controversial prosecution of Stevens, who requested an early trial to clear his name but was convicted just days before he lost a reelection bid.

Stevens' attorneys had argued that prosecutors with the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section withheld key pieces of evidence and mishandled witnesses. Since the conviction, the department has disclosed a memo written by an FBI agent who complained about many of the same things.

In February U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan held three prosecutors in contempt for failing to comply with a court order. Six members of that prosecution team withdrew from the case in matters dealing with allegations of misconduct. A new team of prosecutors then began to review the case.

In a statement Wednesday, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said he and other justice department lawyers had reviewed the case and "concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial."

"In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial," Holder said.

Source: An article by Del Quentin Wilber for the Washington Post