Judge April Perry calls Boutros's statements to the court about the grand jury transcript hard to credit
April PerryU.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, presiding over United States v. Rabbitt, in a written order
Perry writes that Boutros had to approve presenting the case to the grand jury again after it declined to indict, and that the idea he made that decision without reviewing the best available evidence of what went wrong is nearly unfathomable.
“The idea that USA Boutros would have made such a significant decision without reviewing the best evidence available to him about what went wrong in the grand jury is nearly unfathomable.”
Original text
Where this statement fits
Former Chicago FBI chief Douglas DePodesta sues U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, alleging he was blamed for the Broadview Six collapse; judge orders Boutros to testify
Former FBI Chicago chief Douglas DePodesta alleges U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros falsely blamed him for the collapse of the Broadview Six prosecution, forcing him out. The same day, Judge April Perry ordered Boutros to testify about his statements to her court.
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Original text
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Seven-page order by U.S. District Judge April Perry in the closed Broadview Six prosecution. It explains the court's requests for government documents, cites DePodesta's complaint, and orders U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros and three assistant U.S. attorneys to testify under oath on Nov. 16, 2026.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The order recounts Boutros's statement to the court on May 21, 2026 that he only became aware of the grand jury vouching on April 27 or 28, and says he had by then held the transcript containing it for more than seven months. It adds that on Aug. 4, 2026 he told the court that while he may have been emailed the transcript on Oct. 14, 2025, he was quite certain he did not review it at that time.
After the quotation
Later in the same section, the order concludes that there is more than an adequate factual basis to inquire whether willful false statements were made to the court, and orders Boutros and three assistant U.S. attorneys to testify under oath on Nov. 16, 2026.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Andrew Boutros's conduct in the Broadview Six prosecution and its aftermath, including his office's accounts of it to the court and DePodesta's allegation that Boutros blamed him for the case's collapse. Perry criticizes Boutros's account to the court as hard to credit and nearly unfathomable, and finds more than an adequate basis to inquire whether willful false statements were made, with testimony set before she makes findings.
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- Andrew Boutros
More from this case
Read the full caseNancy DePodesta says, in her view, Douglas DePodesta was forced out based on what appear to be utterly false rumors spread by the U.S. attorney
“It is both heartbreaking and shameful that he was forced out of his position based on what appear to be utterly false rumors spread by the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois”Read statement
Douglas DePodesta, in his lawsuit, says Boutros began a campaign inside the Justice Department to blame him for the Broadview Six collapse
“To deflect attention from his own malfeasance, Boutros began a campaign within the Department of Justice to blame DePodesta for the unraveling of the case.”Read statement
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois tells the court that, apart from local FBI investigators, it had no outside communications about Broadview Six charging decisions
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois
“Considerations such as defendants' political affiliations, activities, views, or positions were not considered in any way as part of the investigation or charging decisions. Accordingly, there are no communications of any nature from, to, or with anyone outside the USAO (other than the local FBI investigators assigned to the case) regarding any investigatory or charging decisions.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Judge April Perry calls Boutros's statements to the court about the grand jury transcript hard to credit". First published: 2026-11-03. Last updated: 2026-11-03. https://disputeindex.com/events/7830-perry-writes-that-boutros-had-to-approve-presenting