Plaintiffs allege conspiracy in drug planting lawsuit against Florida Sheriff

[GP270watch]

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.

[Fuzzy Bear]

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.

[GP270watch]

'Something we're not proud of': Fired deputy Zach Wester arrested in drug planting probe

 The evidence against him seems clear. The investigation found large quantities of drugs in a hidden part of his vehicle that was not marked in evidence bags. If found guilty they should throw the book at him.

 But my real and serious question is even if these people did have small amounts of drugs on them, is that something that deserves jail and having their life ruined? This crooked Deputy was only allowed to wreak this havoc because of the stupidity of our drug laws. A completely wrong headed approach towards dealing with the public policy of recreational drug use or serious drug addiction.

 

[dead0man]

and in less than a month, it's happened again

A former Martin County deputy was arrested Monday after a six-month-long investigation found concerns in his drug arrests.

Steven O'Leary, 29, was taken into custody in Leon County, Florida, and now faces multiple charges.

In January, investigators said O'Leary claimed to find illegal drugs during traffic stops when he was employed as a deputy with the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

While on duty, O'Leary made three narcotics-related arrests in which the substances involved were not actually narcotics.

A Regional Crime Lab determined one of the substances was a powder commonly used to treat headaches, and another was a sand-based material containing no narcotics.

O’Leary had been with the Martin County Sheriff's Office since February 2018. He was fired from the Martin County Sheriff's Office in January when the State Attorney’s office found problems with three of O'Leary's cases.