How does a police station get robbed? It must have been an inside job, right? A police station in Massachusetts is asking these questions right now.
How do you think the prosecutors are going to prosecute the drug dealers in this case when all of the drugs confiscated were stolen?
But with drugs allegedly stolen from the evidence room at the Attleboro Police Station, criminal lawyers say the ramifications are serious and there is a potential that cases could be dismissed and drug dealers could walk free if evidence is missing or found to have been tampered with.
Police Chief Kyle Heagney said Tuesday that "cocaine and other illegal narcotics" were found to be missing during an audit in August, and he believes they were stolen. The matter is under investigation and is being led by a private police consulting company that specializes in internal police investigations.
Brian Roman, a criminal defense attorney from North Attleboro, said the apparent theft of drugs from the police department's evidence room could have a sweeping impact on future drug prosecutions, at least until an investigation is concluded.
Far-Reaching Effects
There could be more far-reaching effects. The loss of evidence could prompt defense attorneys to challenge the police case against their clients, he said, not only in prosecutions linked to the allegedly stolen drugs, but in other cases as well.
There's really not a worst-case scenario than having drugs stolen from the police department's drug locker.
From the evidence room, drugs are taken to the state police laboratory to be analyzed before being returned to the police department.
The most damaging cases that could be affected are trafficking cases which are determined by the weight of the narcotics. The cases could be compromised if it is proven that a portion of the drugs were taken or that the evidence was tampered with, Werner said.
How does a police station get robbed of its evidence? You would think it has to be an inside job, right? I will try and keep you abreast of what turns up.