Judge Asks Why Prosecutors Released Photos Of Arrested Boston Lawmakers

A federal judge has ordered prosecutors to explain why photos and other information were released in connection with the arrests of former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner.

Judge Douglas Woodlock told a pre-trial hearing audience he wants to evaluate whether prosecutors tried to “gin things up” among the public after Wilkerson and Turner were arrested.

The assistant U.S. attorney in charge of presenting the government’s case says all the material was reviewed by a federal magistrate before being made public.

As part of a filing in the case, Turner told the judge that former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan went after Wilkerson and Turner, in exchange for the promise of a job with former Attorney General John Ashcroft’s law firm.