"Miami Beach chief says officers sent hundreds of offensive e-mails" Associated Press May 16, 2015
MIAMI — A handful of Miami Beach police officers sent hundreds of racially offensive and pornographic e-mails and possibly jeopardized dozens of criminal cases in which they are witnesses, the department’s chief said Thursday.
An internal investigation revealed that two of the 16 officers were high-ranking in the Police Department and were the main instigators, Chief Daniel Oates told reporters.
One has retired, and the other was fired Thursday. None of the officers has been charged with a crime.
Oates said the inquiry revealed about 230 e-mails demeaning to African-Americans and women or pornographic in nature. One shows a woman with a black eye and the caption, ‘‘Domestic violence. Because sometimes, you have to tell her more than once.’’
Another e-mail depicted a board game called ‘‘Black Monopoly’’ in which every square says ‘‘go to jail.’’
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said about 540 cases in which the officers were witnesses are being reviewed to determine if they are tainted racially. Some charges could be dropped as a result or prisoners freed from jail."
I wouldn't count on it.
Related:
George Zimmerman hurt during altercation
Shooter was fixated on George Zimmerman, police report says
He's being treated like a cop.
SJC ruling limits charges, jail time in fallout from state drug lab scandal
It's the reverse in Florida.
Also see:
"Pa. jury clears six ex-officers in graft case" Associated Press May 14, 2015
PHILADELPHIA — A federal jury has cleared six former Philadelphia drug squad officers in a corruption case that prompted scores of convictions to be overturned amid charges that the officers stole more than $400,000 in drug money, beat suspects, and lied to win convictions.
The verdict on Thursday follows more than a month of testimony and a week of deliberations.
Lawyers for the fired officers attacked the credibility of a string of drug dealers and a disgraced former squad member who cooperated after being caught in an FBI sting.
Former officer Jeffrey Walker told jurors he had committed ‘‘thousands’’ of crimes on duty during his years with the squad. He said he never worried about sending people to prison based on planted evidence or perjured testimony because he did not consider drug dealers ‘‘human.’’
The 26-count federal racketeering indictment, based largely on Walker’s account, accused his former colleagues of planting evidence, roughing people up, and lying to win convictions.
‘‘I was very loyal to the guys,’’ Walker testified.
The defendants cleared Thursday were squad leader Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Perry Betts, Michael Spicer, Linwood Norman, and John Speiser.
Defense lawyers called Walker, a 24-year veteran, a lying thief and lone actor.
Other cops just looked the other way, huh?
Prosecutors, however, said other witnesses, whatever their criminal behavior, told jurors ‘‘shockingly similar things to what Jeffrey Walker had told them.’’
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Now get back on the beat!
