By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — State authorities are reviewing past and pending drug cases after the head of the New Haven police narcotics unit was arrested on theft charges in a federal sting, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Lt. William White was charged last week with stealing nearly $30,000 in what he thought was drug money but was actually cash planted by the FBI at investigation scenes. He was also accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from bail bondsmen in return for capturing fugitives who skipped bail.
“We are more closely scrutinizing the pending cases and any other cases that are brought to our attention” involving the arrested officers, New Haven State’s Attorney Michael Dearington told The Associated Press.
Authorities are looking at issues such as whether evidence is corroborated, Dearington said. No cases have been dismissed so far.
He said the number of cases under scrutiny was significant, but could not provide a figure.
NAACP leaders on Tuesday called for an outside review of the cases handled by the New Haven narcotics unit.
“Every case that this particular unit has dealt with” needs to be reopened, said Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut and New Haven chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
New Haven officials disbanded the narcotics unit after the arrests, handing over some of its cases to state authorities.
New Haven Mayor John DeStefano said he agreed the cases should be reviewed but added he had no reason to believe they were tainted.
“However, we need to assure the public that’s not the case,” DeStefano said.
Defense lawyers who handled federal drug cases involving the officers could seek new trials on grounds that federal authorities did not disclose the allegations, said Jon Schoenhorn, president of the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
“Arguably any case he’s involved in certainly in the last few years should be subject to some kind of review,” Schoenhorn said of White.
White’s attorney, Hubert Santos, said last week that White is a 39-year veteran of the department who has received numerous awards and honors.