Man serves four months for crime he didn't commit

Detective claimed crime lab matched burglar's fingerprints when it didn't

By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer

Published 06/22/08

A Glen Burnie man spent four months in jail based on information that turned out to be false.

RAYMOND H. JONASSEN

In charging documents related to a burglary from earlier this year, a county police detective wrote that Raymond H. Jonassen's fingerprints matched a set discovered at the crime scene.

Investigators later discovered that wasn't the case and Mr. Jonassen was set free.

Police and prosecutors said they don't know why Detective Greg Tate wrongly told the court in January the county's crime lab matched Mr. Jonassen's fingerprints - or if that misstatement was intentional or unintentional.

Sgt. John Gilmer,...

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Try some Dear Park. - 2008-06-24 10:10:27

You are too funny. Someone in either the PD or prosecutors office makes a mistake and it?s this guys fault! If he has done time before, he paid his debt should be spared the incontinence of, I don?t know, wrongful prosecution and imprisonment. Good point on believing what you see and not what hear, I guess you can?t believe lead detectives when they say that there is a positive print match. Police are given a tremendous powers and responsibility. With that power and responsibility comes accountability.

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B. G - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

Everyones a mind reader? - 2008-06-23 16:43:02

Seems like you all must be rich! Considering you can read minds and see the future, or so you like to think. The only one on here with a good grasp on the situation is Jim. Your hearing ONE persons "story"! Who knows who dropped the ball in this case! Could have been a second party whom we have no idea exists.. But I also bet jonassen didnt do a day for the TWO previous thefts, nor his DRUG charge! WHICH ARE CONVICTIONS, TRUE, EVIDENCE, PROVEN, GUILTY. Lets drop him off in your neighborhood and see if you dont lock your doors? Heres some advice to the gullible. Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see! And Kelly, good point! Why are three men(officers), who chased down a few punks with a loaded gun, suspended from keeping you people safe in your little pretentious lives. Im selling a bottle of clear fluid, called Dear Park! It cures STUPIDITY! $25,000 a bottle! E-mail with your orders and credit card information. I'll throw one in free!

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j. ray - annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

Nice Slant - 2008-06-23 14:44:43

Lets just keep in mind that this is a one sided story. You are trying to hang this detective out to dry before knowing the full story. You rightly say this person shouldn't spend time in jail for something he didn't do...but are quick to fire a police detective for something he didn't do. Before going around talking about justice and rushing to judgement, why don't we wait to see what really happened. Not some slanted story from a slanted reporter.

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jim pimbry - Linthicum, MD - Karma: Neutral

Police dept policy - 2008-06-22 14:58:55

Why is it that there are three officers still suspended for precipitating the capture of actual criminals while this officer is still on duty? The dept was awful quick to suspend officers who neither committed a crime or acted in an immoral manner while this officer seems to be free to do both.

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Kelly S. - pasadena, MD - Karma: Bad

Quite Troubling - 2008-06-22 14:02:33

People lie including police. But when the result is an innocent person loses his or her freedom it's a crime called perjury. The end does not justify the means just because a police officer THINKS a person is guilty. Sad as it is, the guy would have done little or NO time had he been found guilty in our Liberal courts!

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Paul F. - Shady Side, MD - Karma: Bad

Um... - 2008-06-22 11:19:49

doesn't the fact that the detective LIED amount to perjury -which, last I heard, was a crime?

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Michael Calo - Glen Burnie, MD - Karma: Neutral

Scary - 2008-06-22 09:00:05

This is a very troubling story - for all of us! I can't imagine being incarcerated for something I didn't do as Mr. Jonassen was. The police screwed-up and now are claiming ignorance - unreal. More troubling to me is that this officer is still on duty - very scary. And while I'm usually not an advocate of suing, this case is ripe for a suit against the county which we citizens will ultimately pay for - great... If that is the case, hopefully it will send a strong message to our county leaders and the police - you are not above the law and cannot abuse peoples civil liberties.

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Mike L. - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Bad