SALISBURY, Md.- Less than two weeks after the announcement regarding thefts from the property room of the Salisbury Police Department, the Maryland Office of the Public Defender said Monday it is very concerned about the integrity of evidence held by the police department and its impact on convictions.
The Salisbury Police Department said in a statement on Feb. 14, that in the course of a recent internal audit of its property storage facility, evidence was discovered of a series of potentially egregious breaches of internal policy by a civilian employee. Upon further review of the evidence, Salisbury Police Department command staff determined that there was cause to believe that the civilian employee may have committed one or more thefts while working in the property storage facility.
The department said it contacted Wicomico County's Office of the State's Attorney and informed it of the evidence that a crime—or crimes—may have been committed in the property storage facility at the department.
The Office of the State's Attorney said it initiated the process of providing disclosures in every criminal case that was charged by the Salisbury Police Department or that contains evidence that is or was being held in the custody of the department from April 22, 1997, through Feb. 7, 2020. State's Attorney Jamie Dykes said she does not know how many, if any cases, are compromised.
Maryland State Police are conducting a criminal investigation into the matter, at the request of the Office of the State's Attorney.
And now, the Maryland Office of the Public Defender is weighing in on the matter.
“Evidence integrity is a fundamental component of a fair trial. While the details on the extent of the issue are still forthcoming, this could impact hundreds or even thousands of current and former clients,” said Chasity Simpson, district public defender for Wicomico County. “We are examining current cases to determine which may be impacted and warrant dismissal, and are committed to ensuring that former clients whose case may have had compromised evidence at any stage are able to clear their names.”
Identifying cases that may be impacted is especially challenging, particularly for the years prior to electronic recordkeeping within the police department, according to the Office of the Public Defender.
“We are dedicating attorneys from across the agency -- including our Wicomico County office, Post-Conviction Division, Appellate Division and Administration -- to gather as much information as possible, determine the impact on individual cases, and identify next steps that may be needed,” said Becky Feldman, deputy public defender for Maryland.
Among the agency’s efforts are a hotline where people can provide information about their case via telephone or online for follow up.
Individuals who have a criminal conviction or pending case involving evidence held by the Salisbury Policy Department are encouraged to contact OPD at 410-635-0046 or fill out the form at https://forms.gle/AGvJXiY53NAVjcWf9, also available at www.opd.state.md.us.
