As reported by;
"The Telegraph"
On the Web
State says no charges in illegal searches
New Hampshire Attorney general's office won't prosecute former deputy sheriff.
MANCHESTER (AP) – A former
deputy sheriff who
conducted dozens of illegal
drug searches will
not face criminal charges,
the state attorney
general's office said Friday.
But Wayne Powers, 46, of Rye,
still could face a hearing on
his police certification,
said Earl Sweeney, director
of the state Police Standards
and Training agency.
Federal and state prosecutors
dismissed drug trafficking
convictions against 20 people
and released two from
state prison in April after
learning the convictions were based
on illegal searches.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys
are still researching other
cases to see whether Powers
was involved.
Powers, a former Rockingham
County deputy sheriff
who was part of a marijuana
task force, had
searched about 100 packages
at air freight warehouses
serving Manchester Airport
without first
obtaining search warrants.
Powers poked holes in packages
or had air freight
workers open them so his drug-sniffing
dog could
check them, according to court
records.
Then he lied to judges in
search warrant requests,
court records say.
Powers, who had worked in
law enforcement for
20 years, retired as a deputy
sheriff days before a
disciplinary hearing was scheduled.
Prosecutors then announced
they would
conduct a criminal investigation.
However, on Friday,
State
Attorney General Philip McLaughlin
said an investigation found
that
"although Powers improperly
searched packages,
His
conduct did not violate any
New
Hampshire criminal statute"
"Attention" (NON) Law Abiding Citizens!
It sounds like New Hampshire is the place
you want to be.
Just think about it. If the "Attorney General"
says Wayne Powers did not violate any state
criminal statute, just think what all
you could get away with in that state!
Being able to go through peoples personal
things, poking holes in packages at random,
and being able to lie to judges. What a setup!
That's just like having the Attorney General
on the criminals side.
America, it is time to hold these
people accountable for there actions!
And it should not matter if they are a policeman,
sheriff, judge, attorney general, governer, or
the President of the United States.
What is the point of having laws,
if they do not apply to every person?
This site last updated 2/21/2001