Bad Decision is Bad News for Inmates
The Express News posted an article by Brian Chasnoff that has really shaken up the writers of this website. It has shown a light on a very bad decision made by the Sheriff and D.A. LaHood. Back when Ralph Lopez was sheriff a Bexar County civilian employee filed a complaint (a sworn statement) against an officer. It was proven through video, witness statement and polygraph that she had lied. The employee was disciplined for untruthfulness. Several years later that same employee was given a promotion to a latent examiner position, something that never should have happened. That means she compared fingerprints and testified on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office. When you testify you have to swear you are telling the truth.
When Susan Reed became the District Attorney and found out that someone who had willingly lied under oath was now testifying under oath for the Sheriff’s Office she recommended that person be removed from the latent position so she didn’t impact any criminal cases. That was a correct move. There has to be integrity in the system.
It’s unknown why that Bexar County employee was allowed to get a position where she could do serious damage to people who are facing a trial. Integrity issues have happened before. Houston P.D. had a problem with their fingerprint analysis unit misidentifying fingerprints. They lied and hid their mistakes so they wouldn’t lose their jobs. People were wrongfully convicted.
What happens if this Bexar County employee discovers she is wrong about something? Will she admit it? Or will she lie? How can the public have faith in the judicial system when they let someone testify who they know has lied under oath? How can the family and friends of a person who is facing a trial believe they will get a fair trial? How can a jury be expected to believe someone who was willing to lie under oath for what? Revenge? Viciousness? In an attempt to cost an officer his job?
That civilian employee filed a federal lawsuit and a complaint with EEOC and lost in both cases. Then she did some serious campaigning for Javier Salazar to help him become sheriff and has currently been doing the same for Nico LaHood to help him get re-elected. Both those men have in turn decided that everyone else and all the other agencies were wrong and have reinstated her. This stinks of political payback. Not only did they get her reinstated but they gave her a significant amount in back pay out of our tax dollars.
We hope every defense attorney out there has this person’s name down in their books and anytime she testifies or has any kind of input on a case they question her extensively to show the jury she can’t be trusted. It’s hard enough to fight a well-funded system. Defendant’s shouldn’t be handicapped even further by dishonest “experts”.