Defense attorney Lee Vartan is demanding an immediate investigation into the state’s prosecution of Rabbi Osher Eisemann, whose case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Vartan alleges that prosecutors Jeffrey Manis and Frank Valdinoto exhibited a “shocking disregard for both the facts of the case and the law.”
Vartan criticized the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) for its “history of slipshod and failed investigations and unethical prosecutors whom courts have found violated defendants’ rights.” He specifically named John Nicodemo, a prosecutor accused of withholding evidence and lying to grand juries, as a prime offender.
The lead detective in the original investigation, Tom Page, testified that he didn’t believe a crime existed, and another state witness said the prosecution’s theory was wrong. Vartan wants to know why OPIA didn’t adhere to its own guidelines on disclosing evidence and who made the decision to proceed with another trial.
In response, an OPIA spokesperson defended the department’s work, saying they “stand by the work of the dedicated attorneys and investigators” and that Vartan’s statements were cherry-picked from motions and transcripts.