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Memo Suggests Utah Trooper Steed Was Falsifying DUI Arrest Reports
The Salt Lake Tribune reports the following.
A supervisor warned in 2010 that Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Lisa Steed, who is under investigation by her own agency, was frequently arresting people for driving under the influence of drugs who had no drugs in their systems.
The supervisor, Sgt. Rob Nixon, wrote a memorandum discussing the questionable arrests and implying Steed was falsely accusing drivers of impairment. Nixon wrote the memo after reviewing 20 of Steed’s arrests for drug DUIs.
In seven of those cases, toxicology tests showed the driver had only metabolite, Nixon wrote. Metabolite is the remnants of drugs or pharmaceuticals in the bloodstream, though not necessarily the illegal kind.
Four other drivers had no drugs in their system, according to Nixon’s memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune.
Yet in every case, Steed wrote reports claiming the drivers showed signs of impairment, such as dilated pupils and leg and body tremors.
Nixon referred to “a pattern” of conflicting information between Steed’s arrest reports and the laboratory results.
“This is something that needs to be addressed before defense attorneys catch on and her credibility along with the DUI squad’s credibility is compromised,” Nixon wrote.
A UHP spokesman declined to comment on the memo Wednesday.
“We’re considering that a protected document so we’re not at liberty to discuss the document,” said Dwayne Baird, the spokesman.
Greg Skordas, an attorney representing Steed, said his client was never made aware of Nixon’s memo, nor did her superiors speak with Steed about the specific issues raised in the memo.
“She doesn’t know what is being referred to here,” Skordas said.
The memo is “extraordinary,” said Joseph Jardine, a Salt Lake City defense attorney who earlier this year successfully petitioned a judge to gain access to Steed’s discipline record. Jardine said the memo was not included in the records he viewed. The Salt Lake Tribune showed Jardine and Skordas the memo Tuesday.
Jardine said the memo shows the UHP hid Steed’s problems from defense lawyers. Legal precedent requires prosecutors also to have been aware of the memo and disclose it to defendants, Jardine said.
“That’s crazy,” Jardine said of withholding the memo. “That’s exactly contrary to what the law requires them to do.”
Submitted by Joe.
Memo Suggests Utah Trooper Steed Was Falsifying DUI Arrest Reports is a post from Cop Block – Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights
2012-10-17 23:20:40
Source: http://www.copblock.org/22369/memo-suggests-utah-trooper-steed-was-falsifying-duidre-arrest-reports/
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