In may, when Multnomah County jail inmates ate bologna sandwiches for lunch, confessed killer David “Joey” Pedersen was given a private homemade meal of grilled salmon, greens, a cheese plate and dessert brought in by his eight-person defense team, reports The Oregonian. Employees couldn’t fathom why a white supremacist who had killed four people during a three-state crime spree with his girlfriend would be allowed such a treat. Defense attorney Rich Wolf says the U.S. Attorney's office pulled strings to make the meal happen because they were eager to put an end to Pedersen's criminal case and avoid damage over mssteps they made in the handling of Pedersen’s case.
The repast came after a federal judge warned prosecutors that he was in the process of determining if they acted in “bad faith,” a move that could end careers. Eight days before the meal, Pedersen agreed to plead guilty in federal court to the 2011 carjack killings of two of his four victims in exchange for two concessions: shortening the sentences of two friends who provided him with a gun used in the killing spree, and allowing him to sit down with his defense team for a meal to thank them for their work. On Monday, a federal judge sentenced Pedersen, 34, to two life terms without parole. Senior District Judge Ancer Haggerty criticized prosecutors for a “disturbing” series of oversights and ethical missteps, the Los Angeles Times reports.