Five local news agencies have filed a lawsuit against Buncombe County DA Ron Moore and the City of Asheville (1, 2, 3). Last year, 115 items took a hike from the Asheville Police Department’s evidence room. Shortly thereafter, $175,000 fled the city’s coffers (with approval) to fund an audit. The audit has been chilling for awhile, and members of the press are claiming they have a right to access it. Law enforcement officials say it is unwise to release information pertaining to ongoing investigations.
I could be wrong, but I do not support the lawsuit. The judicial system does not practice science; neither do scientists in many instances. Can I trust the legal system; known for settling matters with plea bargains, tricks, traps, bluffs, accusations, and sophistry; or even an honest audit; to settle this matter so as to best protect the innocents? Have members of the press fallen prey to the agenda of an instigator?
Then, there’s that ongoing dilemma about exactly what percentage of crime is perpetrated by government operatives attempting to intercept the “real” bad guys. Was the evidence being put to an, albeit Machiavellian, higher and better use? What do members of the press expect to find? If somebody is so powerful and deceitful as to steal police evidence and make the chief take the hit, what could he/she do to audit reports?
