What A Boston Judge's Actions Say About Challenges To Rollins' Reform Agenda

The quote of the day could very well be "an unconstitutional abuse of his power."

That's Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, and the "his" she's referring to is Boston Municipal Court Judge Richard Sinnott.

Judge Sinnott this week denied motions from Rollins' prosecutors to dismiss some low-level charges against counter protesters that were arrested at Saturday's Straight Pride Parade.

Rollins has now filed an emergency petition with the state's Supreme Judicial Court to overturn the judge's ruling.

This comes after yesterday's turn, when Judge Sinnott had prominent immigration and civil rights attorney Susan Church taken into custody for contempt of court. Church was defending some of the counter-protesters who were arrested.

Susan Church, immigration and criminal defense attorney. She tweets @SusanBChurch11.

Emily Bazelon, New York Times Magazine staff writer. Her new book is "Charged: The New Movement To Transform American Prosecution And End Mass Incarceration." She tweets @emilybazelon.