Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

jsr

(7,712 posts)
Sun Feb 2, 2014, 08:37 AM Feb 2014

Florida reviews thousands of drug cases for possible evidence tampering

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Florida's state police agency on Saturday announced a massive evidence review in thousands of drug cases handled by one crime-laboratory chemist, saying its findings could lead to some criminal cases being quashed and drug dealers set free.

The chemist is suspected of taking illegal drugs out of evidence storage and replacing them with over-the-counter medication, the agency said.

"It could be for personal use. It could be for trafficking. We don't know," Gerald Bailey, head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), said at a news conference.

Bailey declined to identify the FDLE chemist, who was ordered to take vacation and accrued compensatory leave time pending disposition of the case.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/01/us-usa-crime-florida-idUSBREA100IC20140201

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Florida reviews thousands of drug cases for possible evidence tampering (Original Post) jsr Feb 2014 OP
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes hobbit709 Feb 2014 #1
Translation: "Who will guard the guards themselves?" 1monster Feb 2014 #5
This happened in San Francisco a few years ago cosmicone Feb 2014 #2
The cases pop up with some regularity. bemildred Feb 2014 #4
So a possible drug dealer gets vacation time courtesy of the government? ck4829 Feb 2014 #3
Well, the vacation time is accrued and the compensatory time is earned... On the other 1monster Feb 2014 #6
Happening in Texas too, just not in the lab www.friscopaul.blogspot.com therehegoes Feb 2014 #7

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
4. The cases pop up with some regularity.
Sun Feb 2, 2014, 10:51 AM
Feb 2014

It is one reason I have great skepticism about the use of lab results in trials.

The other is that the tests, when you look at them, any of them, do not rise to the level of "beyond a reasonable doubt", they all have significant error rates, both false positives and false negatives.

You take that and add sloppy or corrupt evidence handling, and you have nothing as evidence of anything.

1monster

(11,012 posts)
6. Well, the vacation time is accrued and the compensatory time is earned... On the other
Sun Feb 2, 2014, 12:22 PM
Feb 2014

hand, if the investigation finds merit in the accusation, the possible drug dealer may be getting housed, clothed, and fed by courtesy of the government for a considerably long time...

therehegoes

(37 posts)
7. Happening in Texas too, just not in the lab www.friscopaul.blogspot.com
Sun Feb 2, 2014, 01:41 PM
Feb 2014

To investigate the tampering, we've had to have experts checking experts. So far we've found the tampering is a very consistent theme among the 6 or so experts we've used. In order for the police to alter the tapes, they knew they had serious liability issues.

I had NO WAY of knowing a bogus 911 call had cops coming to my door. I also was not responsible for police NOT FOLLOWING POLICE PROTOCOLS. Those protocols are to protect everyone, the police themselves and even innocent old guys watching TV and drinking a beer!

In my case, no one was injured. And yes, I know a self-defense argument isn't popular here, but it is valid considering the threats I'd been receiving.

Believe me when I say, it could happen to anyone. If the police in Frisco, TX are not held responsible along with the District Attorney Greg Willis and his Assistant DA Lindsey Byers for their part in the malicious prosecution, then you can bet this type of thing will happen to a lot more people.





Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Florida reviews thousands...