Police arrested wrong man in stabbing

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Internet "Doctor" - 2010-05-19 22:50:49

it's amazing what $827.00/credit can get you these days.....Dr.........that's funny!!!!

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K Anderson - Crownsville, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Kristy... - 2010-05-19 22:16:10

This was NOT the Annapolis Police.

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W. Johns - Stevensville, MD - Karma: Good

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roles, Adam C - 2010-05-19 13:35:13

The role of the defense atty is to defend her client, not society. The role of the ASA is to defend justice, not make excuses for the police.

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Herbert Spencer - St. Margaret's, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Resignation. - 2010-05-19 09:23:54

The Judge, the proseuctors and the Defense Attorneys all have jobs to do for the system to work. But I am sure you aren't alleging that all the prosecutors in that office don't know what their jobs are.

And let me ask you this, if a public defender represents someone who has clearly committed a crime, is able to convince a judge to let that person out of jail and that person then goes and commits another crime, will you be calling for the public defender's resignation?

Clearly the system is not perfect, nothing in life is. And again this man shouldn't have been sitting in jail for this crime, but to call for the resignation of a whole office seems counter-productive.

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Adam C - Batlimore, MD - Karma: Excellent

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debate - 2010-05-19 05:43:51

The job of the SA isn't to just put people behind bars but to seek justice. Ms. Tierney has done that quite well, Mr. Weathersbee, however, is a tired old man who hires people who don't know their job

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Herbert Spencer - St. Margaret's, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Scary - 2010-05-18 23:49:41

I am amazed at the comments to this article. Though what has happened in this case is inexcusable, taking this case as the reason why we should vote out the State's Attorney is incredible. Do you know what he has done for this State, let alone this county? But somehow a public defender is better suited to run the prosecutors office? Yes this guy was innocent and this should have never happened, but i would love to watch the debate between Mr. Weathersbee and Ms. Tierney.

Weathersbee: "I have fought for decades to keep criminals behind bars and our communities safe"

Tierney: "I have fought for a few years to keep criminals out of jail."

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Adam C - Batlimore, MD - Karma: Excellent

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strange place indeed - 2010-05-18 19:21:12

You can rape a teen and only get a weekend, but drive suspended and get two years. The Sao and police have no credibility. The detectives involved, Ms. Leittess, and Ms. Fleckenstein should resign.

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Herbert Spencer - St. Margaret's, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Miracle in Anne Arundel - 2010-05-18 18:40:08

That the accused spent ANY time in jail at all.

VERY sad that this person had to sit in jail though.
This IS Anne Arundel though where they can jail you by a (Drunken) eyewitness testimony but in other cases they turn murderers loose with 4 witnesses, video and DNA.

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Emmaline Giles - West River, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Where is the outrage? - 2010-05-18 10:55:22

It's interesting to me that there is a complete absence of support for the police and the State's Attorney here. Generally, someone will post about how the police are our "heros" (to steal the sarcasm from AA Resident), and how they generally try to do what is just and good. But no one seems to be able to muster support for the work (or lack thereof) done by the people who are charged with protecting and serving the public.

Like many of the previous posts, I am outraged by what happened here. But I feel as if this is going to just blow over, and by next week everyone will have just forgotten that one of our fellow citizens just spent four months in jail completely needlessly. Were it not for Ms. Tierney, he may have spent longer. He may have even been forced to plead guilty if his case were in the hands of a lesser attorney (if you think that innocent people never plead guilty, think again).

I wish that our community was less apathetic and had more spirit to march on 7 Church Circle demanding, at the very least, the resignation of Ms. Leitess. We should be outraged. Community leaders should be rallying around Mr. Gordon. But, alas, we do not. We resignate to a few posts in a soon-to-be-forgotton newspaper article in Anne Arundel County.

I will not go so far as to support her apparent candidacy for State's Attorney, but Ms. Tierney is a hero to the community and, I am sure, and angel to Mr. Gordon. The state needs more attorneys like Tierney and less like Leitess and Weathersbee. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much oversight of the State's Attorney (Weathersbee will probably keep getting elected until he decides to "retire"). But I feel as though impeachment should be imminent.

Kudos to you, Ms. Tierney, and all the other decent, hardworking attorneys out there who actually take their jobs seriously and seek justice. It would appear that for your efforts, the Constitution is more than mere technicality.

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Nathan Hale - Cape St. Claire, - Karma: Neutral

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Tierney for State's Attorney - 2010-05-17 22:29:53

I suppose anyone would be better than Frank Weathersbee, who has actually been legally dead since 1992. I really think Billy Mulford could clean up that office and do some justice.

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Herbert Spencer - St. Margaret's, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Another Example of Police Brillianc - 2010-05-17 21:31:27

Police are our "heros" until you need them. Or until they've turned their sights on you. Their lack of dilligence is completely unacceptable and Anne Arundel County citizenzs should be outraged. It's sad that we have to rely on public defenders to be the first line of defense--they should be there to protect the rights of people against whom there is some actual (read: reliable and/or verified) evidence. But Ms. Tierney was, in this case, the only hero in the county. The policework was a joke. The State's Attorney's office was a disgrace. But the public defender actually sought justice. We should expect more from our "heros".

And it's nothing short of shocking that Anne Leitess had the nerve to be quoted in the press saying that "People always say it's not me." WHAT? So all you need is a file, and you'll prosecute it--until someone (like another lawyer) shows you a video that you already had. What about that case, Ms. Leitess, where the defendant is telling the truth? Oh wait, we know your answer to that. Let's just ask Mr. Gordon how that one turns out.

Where is the quest for truth? Is there some kind of a code that prosecuters follow? Surely they seek the truth and not just convictions. This is not someone who should still have a job. The same goes for Frank Weathersbee. Tell you what, I'd sure vote for Ms. Tierney for State's Attorney for Anne Arundel County.

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aa resident - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Copped out of due diligence - 2010-05-17 21:04:06

These sad excuses for public safety enforcers shamed us with their shoddy work. They should be relieved from their cushy government jobs and replaced by people with a clean slate, those newcomers should be advised - look why you have a job opening - we expect professionalism or will show you the door. Taxpayers have a right to demand our money be spent on professional, thourough officers. These officers accepted their salary and locked up a man who the evidence was readily available and pointed to to exonerate. We have too many examples of this kind of police behavior. The state's attorney should be PROSECUTING them not defending them.

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William Small - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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NOT THE FIRST TIME - 2010-05-17 18:08:51

well I can speak from experience the detectives dont do there job there quick to throw any bodey in jail without doing any detective work. I did a total of 8 months in jail for something I didnt do.
And still suffering!!!

DONT YOU JUST LOVE ANNAPOLIS CITY POLICE!!!

IF ANYONE IS THINKING OF SUING LET ME KNOW IM IN.

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kristy stewart - annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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arrest - 2010-05-17 13:58:40

is this the first or the last police !@#$%^& up's now what will it cost when the LAW SUIT COMES IN? ALOT! I went thru this years ago police said positive id only one problem I was 17 or so and the person arrested was like 50........go figure.

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jim pearson - seaford, de - Karma: Terrible

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I agree - 2010-05-16 19:43:03

I agree with Ms. Tierney. I do not agree with the tone of Mr. Mencken's comment. Mr. Spencer makes a good point, although I wouldn't go that far.

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William Cooke - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Article is Correct - 2010-05-16 17:05:49

Ms. Tierney is correct. Scott Daugherty wrote an excellent article. With the weighty issues at stake in this case in ensuring justice, it is imperative that all avenues be pursued and that the evidence follow the highest standards of police investigative procedural application. Based on the information I have seen, it does not appear to be the case. Eyewitness identifications were a major part and have proven faulty in some 80% of the death row inmates later exonerated by DNA. Being stabbed is serious, but so is incarcerating a man in a democratic society. Both deserve serious investigative effort.

Good work, Ms. Tierney and Mr. Daugherty.

Dr. Richard Weinblatt
www.TheCopDoc.com

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Richard Weinblatt - , - Karma: Neutral

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Blind eye - 2010-05-16 14:46:02

I commend Scott Daughtery for an excellent article. Realizing there isn't always space to write everything, I'd like to add to what Mr. Daugherty wrote. Not only did the detectives not watch the videos, they turned a blind eye to what witnesses told them. The after they
locked up my client, they interviewed the victim's sister. She completely corroborated what my client was saying, that his clothing was totally different from the stabbed in video. In fact she liked my clients black boots so much she even remembers complimenting them. Did I mention this witness was the VICTIM'S sister??? who was telling the policey client had different shoes than stabber. You would think that would be a red flag for these detectives to go back and watch the videos, the entire video!!!!! Even if it is seven hours, isn't that their job????

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Heather Tierney - West river, Md - Karma: Neutral

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State's Attorney's Office - 2010-05-16 13:42:57

How nice of Ms. Fleckenstein to defend the cops in this situation. If she had been the one sitting in jail because the police and prosecutors couldn't be bothered to do a basic investigation before charging someone with a crime that carries life in prison I doubt she would be so generous. But since most of the people in the State's Attorney's Office share a bed with cops I shouldn't be surprised that they are quick to defend the cops, regardless of the facts. Congratulations to Heather Tierney for her good work. And as Mr. Spencer pointed out, Judge Mulford also deserves credit for releasing the young man. If he had been the prosecutor in this situation the case would never have been charged!

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ghostof mencken - Baltimore, MD - Karma: Terrible

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Are you Kidding - 2010-05-16 10:50:10

To NUTS...

Sounds like you have some unresolved issues with law enforecement.

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J d - deale, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Comment removed by HometownAnnapolis staff. - 2010-05-16 09:07:22

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that's some nice work there, Lou - 2010-05-16 05:32:35

Yeah charge the guy on no evidence, he's only facing LIFE. The "detectives" should have to do four months in jail for this. Good work Judge Mulford in releasing this innocent kid. At least some cares.

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Herbert Spencer - St. Margaret's, MD - Karma: Terrible