Nearly 60 cases dismissed due to corruption in Alabama police department
The grand jury determined that 58 felony criminal cases had been tainted by corruption in the Hanceville Police Department in northern Alabama, after four officers and the police chief were indicted on a variety of charges related to mishandling or removing evidence from the department's evidence room.
The indictment included a recommendation that the department be 'immediately abolished.'
The case roiled the town of approximately 3,200 people about 45 miles (70 kilometers) north of Birmingham.
Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker said that even one compromised case 'is too many' but that "the Grand Jury had no other recourse,' in a statement on Wednesday night. He added that most of the cases were drug-related and only a few were personal crimes with victims.
The 58 tossed cases were selected based on an audit conducted by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigations.
The audit found that nearly 40% of all 650 evidence bags and almost a third of all firearms weren't documented before being stored in the evidence room. There was also a wide array of evidence that appeared to be missing, including firearms, cash and illicit drugs.
Hanceville Mayor Jimmy Sawyer placed the whole department on leave in February, and then following weeks of polarized debate, announced in March that the department would be disbanded and rebuilt from scratch.
A spokesperson for Hanceville's municipal government did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Thursday afternoon. ___
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You're Not Alone Check out these books, podcasts and apps that all expertly navigate grief… Griefcast: Cariad Lloyd interviews comedians on this award-winning podcast. The Madness Of Grief by Rev Richard Coles (£9.99, W&N): The Strictly fave writes movingly on losing his husband David to alcoholism. Terrible, Thanks For Asking: Podcast host Nora McInerny encourages non-celebs to share how they're really feeling. Good Mourning by Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn (£14.99, Murdoch Books): A guide for people who've suffered sudden loss, like the authors who both lost their mums. Grief Works: Download this for daily meditations and expert tips. How To Grieve Like A Champ by Lianna Champ (£3.99, Red Door Press): A book for improving your relationship with death.
