Friday, January 20, 2017

Bo Williams: West Virginia; White Elephant Case: white elephant case; Accused of taking methamphetamine from the storage area after being elected Sheriff last fall, he has resigned, pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing..."According to a criminal complaint, meth was found in Williams’ desk and police vehicle. The complaint said several evidence bags found with Williams contained case numbers corresponding to missing evidence. Downey said Williams told him, Spencer Police Chief Greg Nichols and a state police sergeant last November that he had been addicted to meth for more than a year. Downey said Williams admitted removing methamphetamine from a police case file and consuming it. Williams faces up to 10 years in prison when he’s sentenced on March 28. “It’s an example of what drugs like meth have done to our communities,” Downey said. “Some people have a picture of what a drug addict looks like. It shows that it can be anybody.” News World;

 QUOTE OF THE DAY: "“It’s an example of what drugs like meth have done to our communities. Some people have a picture of what a drug addict looks like. It shows that it can be anybody.”

County Prosecutor Josh Downey;

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Image result for "white elephant"

In the years since I started publishing this Blog I have become increasingly disturbed by the 'white elephant' in the room: Sheer, unadulterated, willful   misconduct in the criminal justice system - much  of it involving forensic evidence - committed by lab technicians,  pathologists, police officers, prosecutors and others.  Think Annie Dookhan; Think Sonia Farak; Think David Kofoed; Think Charles Smith; Think Ken Anderson; Think Gene Morrison. Think Michael West;   I have therefore decided to run this image of a white elephant at the top of every applicable post henceforth, to draw our reader's attention to   what I see as a major problem in all too many criminal justice system's - my own included.  Harold Levy; Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;
"Reformers have for years recommended that all forensic labs be independent from law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies' and this is a key reform promoted by The Justice Project (2008). But fixing these problems is only half the answer' because half of the wrongful convictions attributed to misleading forensic evidence involved deliberate forensic fraud' evidence tampering' and/or perjury.
From "The Elephant in the Crime Lab," by co-authored by Sheila Berry and Larry Ytuarte; Forensic Examiner; Spring, 2009;

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STORY: "Bo Williams faces up to 10 years in prison when he’s sentenced on March 28, by reporter John Raby, published on January 18, 2016.

GIST: "Bo Williams entered the plea to a charge of entering without breaking Wednesday in Roane County Circuit Court. County Prosecutor Josh Downey said Williams was accused of taking methamphetamine from the storage area when he was a Spencer police officer last fall. He resigned in December, a month after being elected sheriff. He took office this month. According to a criminal complaint, meth was found in Williams’ desk and police vehicle. The complaint said several evidence bags found with Williams contained case numbers corresponding to missing evidence. Downey said Williams told him, Spencer Police Chief Greg Nichols and a state police sergeant last November that he had been addicted to meth for more than a year. Downey said Williams admitted removing methamphetamine from a police case file and consuming it. Williams faces up to 10 years in prison when he’s sentenced on March 28. “It’s an example of what drugs like meth have done to our communities,” Downey said. “Some people have a picture of what a drug addict looks like. It shows that it can be anybody.”.........Williams was elected sheriff in November and his term started Jan. 1. While serving as a police officer in Spencer, Williams was placed on leave and he resigned in December after evidence went missing. The complaint said more than $1,000 (U.S.) in evidence was involved. He originally was charged with grand larceny. Williams agreed to resign as part of a plea agreement with the prosecutor’s office in neighbouring Wood County, which handled the court case. Downey said he’s “relieved more than anything” by the conviction because of the toll it was taking on a small central West Virginia community. “It’s been real stressful on the whole courthouse,” Lambert said. “It’s been stressful on his family, I’m sure.” Downey said Williams also agreed to give up his law enforcement credentials."

The entire story can be found at:

/news/world/2017/01/18/west-virginia-sheriff-accused-of-meth-theft-pleads-guilty-resigns.html


 PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;