A Cullman County grand jury indicted four Hanceville police officers and the chief, leading to the dismissal of 58 felony cases due to widespread corruption within the department. The indictments stemmed from mishandling and removal of evidence, prompting a recommendation to abolish the department. An audit revealed significant evidence mismanagement, including undocumented evidence bags and missing firearms, cash, and drugs. Consequently, the Hanceville Police Department was disbanded and will be rebuilt.
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Former New Mexico Magistrate Judge Jose Luis “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy, were arrested on charges related to evidence tampering. Joel Cano allegedly destroyed a tenant’s phone, fearing incriminating photos and videos connected to the tenant’s suspected affiliation with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The tenant, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, faces firearms charges. Nancy Cano is accused of attempting to delete Ortega-Lopez’s social media accounts. This case mirrors a similar incident involving a Milwaukee judge accused of aiding an illegal immigrant’s escape from authorities.
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Yvonne Woods, a former Colorado Bureau of Investigation analyst, faces over 100 criminal charges for allegedly manipulating DNA evidence in over 500 sexual assault cases spanning from 2008. The accusations include altering reports to indicate “No Male DNA Found” even when present, deleting data, and rerunning tests without proper documentation. This misconduct, discovered by an intern, triggered an internal investigation revealing widespread data manipulation, costing over $11 million and jeopardizing hundreds of cases. Woods’ actions allegedly stemmed from a desire to expedite case processing, and an external review of the bureau’s procedures is now underway.
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A former Colorado Bureau of Investigation scientist, Yvonne Woods, faces 102 felony charges stemming from the mishandling of DNA evidence in over 1,000 criminal cases. The charges include forgery, influencing a public servant, perjury, and a class 2 felony cybercrime count, carrying a potential sentence of eight to 24 years. Woods’ actions, spanning nearly three decades, have cost the state over $11 million in retesting and legal settlements, jeopardizing numerous convictions and causing significant backlogs in sexual assault cases. The scandal highlights systemic failures within the CBI, prompting calls for increased transparency and reform to address the widespread impact of Woods’ misconduct.
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John Q. Hosedrinker