Pillaged Braintree police evidence room: Massacusetts; (Call the cops! HL); Patriot Ledger story says audit indicates $407,998 and 60 guns missing from evidence room..." An audit of the Braintree Police Department’s evidence room found thousands of items – including drugs, cash and guns – missing or unaccounted for, and sloppy record-keeping. Town officials released the audit report at a press conference Wednesday. Problems with evidence have already caused prosecutors to drop charges in a half-dozen Braintree cases and could result in hundreds of additional cases being dismissed. The audit found that 4,709 pieces of narcotics evidence could not be accounted for, and that 38 pieces had been compromised – having been opened, left unpackaged or found to have items missing. The audit report describes much of the missing drugs as “bags of cocaine.” “The narcotics evidence is being stored haphazardly,” the audit found. “It should be stored chronologically by year and the Braintree Police property number.” Also found to be missing were 2,490 pieces of property evidence, the report states. The audit found that some of videos being stored as evidence were left unlabeled, and that test kits from sexual assault cases were stored in a trailer outside the police station. It also found that about $408,000 in seized cash was missing. Some of the evidence bags containing money are described in the audit report as having been ripped open in the back or cut open at the bottom, with cash missing. Much of the unaccounted-for money is from cases from 2001, 2002, 2012 and 2013. The audit lists $82,074.96 missing from 2001. The audit report also lists 60 missing firearms.'

STORY: "Braintree police audit shows $407,998 and 60 guns missing from evidence room,"by reporter Fred Hanson, published by the Patriot Ledger on September 14, 2014.

GIST: "An audit of the Braintree Police Department’s evidence room found thousands of items – including drugs, cash and guns – missing or unaccounted for, and sloppy record-keeping. Town officials released the audit report at a press conference Wednesday. Problems with evidence have already caused prosecutors to drop charges in a half-dozen Braintree cases and could result in hundreds of additional cases being dismissed. The audit found that 4,709 pieces of narcotics evidence could not be accounted for, and that 38 pieces had been compromised – having been opened, left unpackaged or found to have items missing. The audit report describes much of the missing drugs as “bags of cocaine.” “The narcotics evidence is being stored haphazardly,” the audit found. “It should be stored chronologically by year and the Braintree Police property number.” Also found to be missing were 2,490 pieces of property evidence, the report states. The audit found that some of videos being stored as evidence were left unlabeled, and that test kits from sexual assault cases were stored in a trailer outside the police station. It also found that about $408,000 in seized cash was missing. Some of the evidence bags containing money are described in the audit report as having been ripped open in the back or cut open at the bottom, with cash missing. Much of the unaccounted-for money is from cases from 2001, 2002, 2012 and 2013. The audit lists $82,074.96 missing from 2001. The audit report also lists 60 missing firearms. However, the police department’s response to the audit says two of guns were starter pistols and that all but 12 have now been located. “There is either a serious record-keeping error regarding firearms or a need to immediately look into this matter,” the audit report states. Two firearms were recovered in June from the home of Susan Zopatti, who was the police department’s evidence officer until May, when she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A .40-caliber Glock Model 23 pistol and a .25-caliber Beretta handgun were recovered from Zopatti’s home in June. One was listed as having been returned to its owner, and the other, owned by Michael Flemmi – a retired Boston police officer and brother of convicted murderer Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi, an associate of former mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger – was still listed as being stored in the department’s gun locker. The audit recommended thorough researching of missing or unaccounted-for narcotics evidence from 2013 until now. If evidence cannot be found, “its absence should be attributed to the previous evidence officer, Susan Zopatti,” the report states. The audit, completed last month by retired Massachusetts State Police Maj. Bruce Gordon and Narcotics Audit Solutions of North Attleboro, recommends many specific changes in the police department’s evidence handling and procedures......... The police department disagrees with the auditor that an estimated half of the narcotics currently being stored in the evidence room could be destroyed. “The department will await the conclusion of all investigations and review to schedule a narcotics destruction,” Jenkins’ response states. It also says all sexual assault evidence kits have been moved to the evidence room inside the police station.........The audit specifically references 55 drug cases from which evidence had been compromised. The names of the defendants were included, but they were redacted in copies distributed to the news media."

 

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.patriotledger.com/news/20160914/braintree-police-audit-shows-407998-and-60-guns-missing-from-evidence-room
 

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.