Flaws in the Metropolitan Police Department’s data management system possibly led to the widespread misplacement of evidence, departing U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen said Monday in a letter to defense attorneys.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
Authorities have begun sifting through thousands of cases to determine the scope and extent of the problem, including how many cases might have to be reopened. Police and prosecutors are conducting a review to determine if any exculpatory evidence accidentally was withheld from defendants past or present, Mr. Machen’s letter said.
The MPD has used the data program, called I/Leads, since 2011 and was planning to switch it in August.
As the Washington Post notes:
Read the full storyDefense attorney Danny Onorato said it was “astonishing” that D.C. police did not have safeguards in place to ensure that data was accurate and complete. “One can only hope that no one was wrongfully convicted as a result of this mishap.”
Join our growing Slack community
Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!
Donate to the Journalism Fund
Your support powers our independent journalism. Unlike most business-media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational contributions.
