Plaintiffs allege conspiracy in drug planting lawsuit against Jackson County Sheriff's Office
A story that shows the insanity of America's "war on drugs" strategy. It looks like a Florida Sheriff Deputy was planting drugs on hundreds of people. Some of these people were jailed for months as they awaited charges and lost homes, jobs, or even custody of their children. The officer who has been fired named Zachary Wester was allegedly caught on his own body-cam planting drugs. There is also an investigation to see if other officers were involved. The lawsuits that are being filed now also show multiple instances of illegal searches under false pretenses, like simple traffic violations, "smelled marijuana", and window tint. In one case a man was brutalized and charged with resisting arrest even though no charges were filed against him for a crime. Most of his alleged victims were low-income whites.
I find this story horrifying.
This is one reason that Florida's Governor ought to have the power to set aside any verdict, reduce or commute any sentence, regardless. And, yes, this Deputy needs to go to jail if guilty.
