March 28, 2024

Existinglaw

Law for politics

Schertz PD consultant destroyed or removed decade worth of evidence from property room

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SCHERTZ, Texas – Above a 10 years value of proof was wrecked or eradicated from the Schertz Police Department’s assets room without the need of prosecutorial evaluate, according to a stop and desist letter acquired by the KSAT 12 Defenders.

The blunder could affect dozens of instances or additional in the a few counties Schertz sits in: Guadalupe, Comal and Bexar.

“We want to make confident that just about every one case that is impacted is plainly acknowledged and that’s also expected by law for disclosure. We need to let them know,” new Schertz Police Office Main Jim Lowery instructed the KSAT 12 Defenders late final thirty day period, moments just before becoming formally sworn in.

Lowery, a longtime Arlington police officer, inherits an internal investigation that appeared to build before this yr immediately after Guadalupe County Legal professional David Willborn sent the agency a cease and desist letter.

Schertz Police Section Main Jim Lowery remaining sworn-in June 28. (KSAT)

The Feb. 15 letter accused Schertz PD of inquiring judges to indication destruction orders for drug proof and weapons without having them staying reviewed by prosecuting organizations.

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“I have info that more than a decade’s well worth of proof has been removed and/or ruined with out prosecutorial critique. This practice is harmful, possibly illegal, and has in no way been agreed to or approved by any prosecuting agency in Guadalupe County,” wrote Willborn, who threatened to problem subpoenas to the section if he did not acquire a list of evidence that experienced been taken out or ruined with no a right evaluation.

Willborn also requested a copy of the contract amongst Schertz PD and an outdoors marketing consultant that handled the project.

Schertz town officials agreed to make Lowery available for an interview about the difficulty but have so significantly attempted to block the launch of all requested records associated to the selecting of the consulting firm and problems submitted from then-interim Chief Marc Bane.

A resource familiar with the inside investigation identified the organization in issue as Gayla Robison Consulting.

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The company’s web page states that it specializes in assets room administration and incorporates the tagline: “Let me assistance you get rid of the overlooked MESS.”

The web-site features various just before and following shots demonstrating containers of evidence stacked in a place.

A woman who discovered herself as Robison answered the phone Monday, but after a KSAT reporter discovered himself, she mentioned “no comment” two times and then hung up.

The Defenders could discover no official organization records for the company, and it does appear up as a taxable entity on the state’s comptroller web-site.

Robison’s cellular phone variety has a Fort Worthy of region code.

Three counties having section in evaluate

Prosecutors from all a few counties that partially lie within Schertz town boundaries now affirm they are using part in evaluations of situations from their respective jurisdictions.

Willborn explained this thirty day period he is familiar with of non-drug circumstances in which proof was wrecked without the need of his acceptance, and it is his knowing that there are a huge quantity of instances in which drug proof was commingled.

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If so, the chain of custody in those instances has been compromised, and the evidence would no lengthier be admissible, Willborn pointed out.

A spokesperson for Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales introduced the adhering to statement:

“The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and the Schertz Law enforcement Office are functioning to identify cases that might have been impacted by the agency’s destruction of proof. To date, we are not informed that any pending circumstances are impacted. If any shut cases are impacted, we will notify the defendants and work to deal with these difficulties.”

A lawful assistant for Comal County District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said the office is also examining its scenarios, but that, traditionally, “we get a extremely compact variety of situations from this agency.”

Lowery, who claimed the department’s inside investigation is ongoing, claimed no felony violations have been uncovered so far, and he does not expect any will be discovered.

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