Charges dropped after drug bust shown on YouTube







Posted: Today at 5:44 p.m.
Updated: Today at 7:48 p.m.

Quote :

"Sanford, N.C. — Charges have been dropped in the biggest drug bust in Lee County after video of the crime scene appeared on the Internet. The drug bust was part of a joint investigation by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The marijuana was tracked from Mexico to Lee County, where officials said they caught Auturo Elizalde, 27, and Thomas Ayala, 32, with 1,900 pounds of marijuana Jan 25. An officer with the Sanford Police Department videotaped the bust, and his video turned up on YouTube. The video has been removed from the site, and the officer is no longer with the department. Officials withheld his name. Investigators, prosecutors and defense attorneys claimed they didn't even know the video existed until word spread that it was online. “It's my understanding that there were two Sanford police officers who came to the scene and did record part of the crime scene,” Lee County Sheriff Tracy Carter said. Carter said he does not know what the officers were doing there. Federal and state agents were on the scene, he said, and local police were never called. "I'm upset that this happened,” Carter added. Auturo Elizalde, 27, and Thomas Ayala, 32, were arrested during the bust. After the defense argued that the video should be submitted into evidence, all charges but one were dismissed against the two suspects. Both men were sentenced to probation, and released on time served. Copyright 2008 by WRAL.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. "

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3251447/

7/22/2008 11:23:26 PM

sanford.

lol.

7/22/2008 11:24:07 PM

Quote :

"NOT GUIL TY"

7/22/2008 11:24:45 PM

*old*
posted in TSB already

7/22/2008 11:24:47 PM

They still lost 1,900 pounds of weed

7/22/2008 11:24:59 PM

well that sucks


you kids and your drugs

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 11:25 PM. Reason : .]

7/22/2008 11:25:07 PM

Quote :

"I'm upset that this happened,” "

understatement of the year?

7/22/2008 11:25:27 PM

thats crap.

they should still be locked up

7/22/2008 11:25:53 PM

i think i heard about this a couple days ago.

7/22/2008 11:26:14 PM

^^the law is the law

you should go back to your country, and not say what should happen in america. i hope you aren't able to vote.


[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 11:27 PM. Reason : r]

7/22/2008 11:26:17 PM

is the law

7/22/2008 11:26:36 PM

america is my country nig

7/22/2008 11:29:15 PM

if you don't like america, you can GIIIIIIIIT OUT!

7/22/2008 11:30:09 PM

not its not
i had physics with you so i know you are not american

7/22/2008 11:30:15 PM

7/22/2008 11:35:06 PM

Meh, it's just a little weed. Who cares?

What I don't really get is why would they drop charges because the scene was shown to the public? Because there is something incriminating on the cops on the video or because they can't get a fair trial after the public sees it?

Would a jury not be shown this type of video during a trial anyways?

7/22/2008 11:35:11 PM

oh ok... so being born here means you're foreign?

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 11:36 PM. Reason : b ]

7/22/2008 11:35:37 PM

^^guess it's a matter of jury integrity.

i don't know. i've been drinking.

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 11:36 PM. Reason : jfdlskaj]

7/22/2008 11:36:06 PM

the jury sees a lot of things the public dont

7/22/2008 11:36:10 PM

i think anything associated with a case is considered evidence, and this was not filed in motion of discovery, and also considered tampered. this is just what i think, not saying this is the case.

7/22/2008 11:36:45 PM