NEWS > 08 March 2006

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Belleville News-Democrat - Bel
08 March 2006

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Chief downplays stolen evidenc

EAST ST. LOUIS -- Police Chief James Mister said 90 percent of the evidence stolen from the evidence room at the old police station on Main Street has no significance to outstanding cases.
An investigation is being conducted into the theft of evidence from the vault. During a news conference Tuesday, Mister said his evidence technician assured him that no guns or drugs were kept there.
"They were kept in City Hall in an undisclosed location. I am not aware of any significant cases that could be impacted," Mister said.
Mister said the investigation is being handled by the East St. Louis Police Department. He would not say whether police have any suspects, "to protect the integrity of the investigation."
Mister confirmed that State's Attorney Robert Haida has given him 30 days to tell him what evidence is missing.
Haida on Monday said the missing evidence includes "guns, drugs, clothing, shell casings, sex assault kits, there's nothing left out."
Haida said there are about 130 active felony cases out of East St. Louis that he and his staff have to prosecute. Of about 100 cases believed to be affected by the break-in, 65 to 70 involve murders, armed robbery and other violent crimes, according to Haida.
Haida said his office will still be able to prosecute the cases, but their job will be a lot harder. If evidence is compromised, Haida said "it makes it easier in a close case to make juries rule against us."
Illinois State Police Sgt. Jim Morrisey said State Police have the evidence from all murder cases investigated jointly by East St. Louis Police and State Police since February 2004.
The East St. Louis evidence room has been broken into at least three times.
"This is a very embarrassing moment for the East St. Louis Police Department," Mister said.
Two break-ins occurred before Mister became chief. Haida went to the police station last year with two of his assistants and told the previous administration to do whatever necessary to secure the evidence room.
Mister, who would neither confirm nor deny the break-in before Tuesday, also acknowledged Haida's visit to the department a year ago. "I had very little knowledge there was a breach at that time," Mister said.
Mister said he is taking steps to secure the building on Main Street to ensure there are no more breaches.
Although he would not disclose what his all of his plans are, or whether the department plans to continue using the old police station to store evidence, Mister said any remaining evidence that is of significance will be housed at City Hall, where it can be monitored 24 hours a day.
Mayor Carl E. Officer said he is appalled, but confident that city officials will get to the bottom of it. Officer said he believes the theft was an inside job because "the average citizen who's going to commit a crime doesn't go to the police station and break in."
Officer said the break-in is possibly "an attempt to cover up and divert some ongoing investigations into police corruption."
Officer said the city's image has taken a hit because of some past practices, "but I believe people are seeing some positive changes on the approach towards public trust."
He added, "They see there's a willingness on behalf of citizens not to tolerate public officials who abuse the public's trust. The successful prosecution of those officials who have abused public trust is a wake-up call to all of those who thought it would be business as usual."
Officer said corruption is not only occurring in East St. Louis. He cited the recent cases of an employee accused of stealing from Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission, and State Police agents accused of possessing illegal weapons.

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Article sourced from

Belleville News-Democrat - Bel08 March 2006

Chief downplays stolen evidenc

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Belleville News-Democrat - Bel
08 March 2006