Florida Prosecutor Clears 1980s Police-Made Crack Charges
Broward County State Attorney Harold F. Pryor will seek to vacate up to 2,600 convictions stemming from a 1988-1990 Broward County Sheriff’s Office sting operation involving sheriff’s office-manufactured crack cocaine. A 1993 Florida Supreme Court ruling deemed these prosecutions illegal due to the Sheriff’s Office’s creation of the drugs used in the sting. This action follows a review of old records revealing lingering convictions from this operation, which often resulted in harsh penalties including mandatory minimum sentences. The State Attorney’s office will contact affected individuals, and Sheriff Gregory Tony supports this effort to overturn these convictions.
John Q. Hosedrinker