Byker
2020-06-12 18:11:23 UTC
When "Discovery" aired this "docuseries", I knew I'd
heard the name of this town somewhere before:
https://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2017/11/28/dryden-officials-offended-new-docuseries-murders-80-s-90-s/902852001/
Yup:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Police_Troop_C_scandal
"In April 1993, Craig D. Harvey, a New York State Police trooper was charged
with fabricating evidence. Harvey admitted he and another trooper lifted
fingerprints from items the suspect, John Spencer, touched while in Troop C
headquarters during booking. He attached the fingerprints to evidence cards
and later claimed that he had pulled the fingerprints from the scene of the
murder. The forged evidence was presented during John Spencer's trial and
his subsequent conviction resulted in a term, of 50 years to life in prison,
at his sentencing."
"The scandal became known when Trooper David L. Harding was interviewed for
a job at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was asked if he was
willing to break the law for his country. He answered "yes", then explained
how he worked to convict people he felt sure were guilty by fabricating
evidence. He assumed the CIA would be pleased with his answer, but instead
they notified the United States Department of Justice. There was a 14-month
delay between the discovery of the misconduct and any action taken."
That's right, FOURTEEN months after this fakery was presented to the police
chief, this case just sat on his desk while the "convicted" parties
continued
to rot in prison. When the news finally became public, it became obvious
that
the entire department was in on this. What're they gonna do, fire the entire
police force?
-- Craig D. Harvey was a lieutenant who headed the identification unit, and
was a 16-year veteran of the force. He pleaded guilty on July 29, 1993 to
fabricating evidence in three cases, and agreed to serve 2½ to 7 years in
prison.
-- David L. Harding was a 7-year veteran of the force, was sentenced on
December 16, 1992, to 4 to 12 years in prison and fined $20,000 for
fabricating evidence in four documented cases.
-- Robert M. Lishansky was an 11-year veteran of the force, was sentenced
June 10, 1993 to 6 to 18 years in prison for fabricating evidence in 21
cases.
-- David M. Beers was a 15-year veteran, pleaded not guilty on May 5 and on
July 29 to fabricating evidence in two cases, was acquitted by a jury on
September 28, 1993.
-- Patrick O'Hara was a lieutenant and 16-year veteran of the force, was
suspended July 29, 1993 pending an investigation into Mr. Harvey's
allegations that Lieutenant O'Hara helped fake evidence.[6] Prosecutors
dropped the charge that O'Hara had helped Harvey fake a fingerprint, but
O'Hara served one year in prison as part of his plea agreement.
In such cases, PDs will only boot out the worst of the worst and hope that
the "civilians" will let it go at that, because they know that a city cannot
afford to dismiss an entire police force. They know the city will have to
pay a shitload of money to hire and train a new batch of officers. In short,
when you have an entire department go bad, there's little you can do, short
of declaring guerrilla war on them...
heard the name of this town somewhere before:
https://www.ithacajournal.com/story/news/local/2017/11/28/dryden-officials-offended-new-docuseries-murders-80-s-90-s/902852001/
Yup:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Police_Troop_C_scandal
"In April 1993, Craig D. Harvey, a New York State Police trooper was charged
with fabricating evidence. Harvey admitted he and another trooper lifted
fingerprints from items the suspect, John Spencer, touched while in Troop C
headquarters during booking. He attached the fingerprints to evidence cards
and later claimed that he had pulled the fingerprints from the scene of the
murder. The forged evidence was presented during John Spencer's trial and
his subsequent conviction resulted in a term, of 50 years to life in prison,
at his sentencing."
"The scandal became known when Trooper David L. Harding was interviewed for
a job at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was asked if he was
willing to break the law for his country. He answered "yes", then explained
how he worked to convict people he felt sure were guilty by fabricating
evidence. He assumed the CIA would be pleased with his answer, but instead
they notified the United States Department of Justice. There was a 14-month
delay between the discovery of the misconduct and any action taken."
That's right, FOURTEEN months after this fakery was presented to the police
chief, this case just sat on his desk while the "convicted" parties
continued
to rot in prison. When the news finally became public, it became obvious
that
the entire department was in on this. What're they gonna do, fire the entire
police force?
-- Craig D. Harvey was a lieutenant who headed the identification unit, and
was a 16-year veteran of the force. He pleaded guilty on July 29, 1993 to
fabricating evidence in three cases, and agreed to serve 2½ to 7 years in
prison.
-- David L. Harding was a 7-year veteran of the force, was sentenced on
December 16, 1992, to 4 to 12 years in prison and fined $20,000 for
fabricating evidence in four documented cases.
-- Robert M. Lishansky was an 11-year veteran of the force, was sentenced
June 10, 1993 to 6 to 18 years in prison for fabricating evidence in 21
cases.
-- David M. Beers was a 15-year veteran, pleaded not guilty on May 5 and on
July 29 to fabricating evidence in two cases, was acquitted by a jury on
September 28, 1993.
-- Patrick O'Hara was a lieutenant and 16-year veteran of the force, was
suspended July 29, 1993 pending an investigation into Mr. Harvey's
allegations that Lieutenant O'Hara helped fake evidence.[6] Prosecutors
dropped the charge that O'Hara had helped Harvey fake a fingerprint, but
O'Hara served one year in prison as part of his plea agreement.
In such cases, PDs will only boot out the worst of the worst and hope that
the "civilians" will let it go at that, because they know that a city cannot
afford to dismiss an entire police force. They know the city will have to
pay a shitload of money to hire and train a new batch of officers. In short,
when you have an entire department go bad, there's little you can do, short
of declaring guerrilla war on them...