The text is a transcript of a segment from the show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where he discusses the role and power of prosecutors in the criminal justice system. He argues that prosecutors have a lot of influence over who gets charged, what they get charged with, and what kind of sentence they could face. He also points out the problems of plea bargains, jury selection, evidence disclosure, and misconduct by prosecutors, and how they can lead to wrongful convictions and harsh punishments. He urges the viewers to pay attention to who their local district attorneys are and what policies they follow, and to elect more reform-minded ones. He uses humor, sarcasm, and examples to make his points.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The text is a transcript of a segment from the TV show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where he talks about the role and power of prosecutors in the criminal justice system.
2. The text mentions several examples of prosecutorial misconduct, such as withholding exculpatory evidence, discriminating by race during jury selection, and pursuing harsh sentences or plea bargains.
3. The text also mentions some possible reforms to improve accountability and transparency for prosecutors, such as open file laws, independent commissions, and electing more reform-minded DA's.
4. The text uses humor, sarcasm, and references to pop culture to make its points and engage the audience.
5. The text cites various sources of information, such as studies, news reports, interviews, and court documents.