Oakland Police Internal Investigation Could Impact Murder Trial
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Of all the scandals plaguing the Oakland Police Department right now, it's the investigation into a homicide detective's alleged unlawful actions could affect the ongoing trial of a suspected killer.
Last week, sources told KPIX 5 that homicide investigator Sergeant Michael Gantt -- who is married -- had his girlfriend typing homicide reports for him, even though those reports are supposed to be confidential.
Legal experts say it's against the law for homicide detectives to share confidential investigative reports because that can taint witness testimony.
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Defense attorneys could ask judges to throw out previous convictions and bring a halt to current cases.
One of those cases is the murder of Judy Salamon, the 66-year-old activist who was shot and killed 3 years ago as she drove through her Oakland neighborhood.
One of the two men accused in the murder is suspected gang member Mario Floyd.
Sources say Gantt's girlfriend even posted a photo of a case file on her Instagram account that showed Floyd's name.
"I can't even articulate what that would mean to the case," said Floyd's attorney Annie Beles.
Beles is filing two motions in the wake of the investigation into Gantt. One asks the District Attorney's office what exactly Sargent Gantt is accused of, while the second is to get Gantt's personnel records from the Oakland Police Department.
"I would be asking for reports about fabrication of reports, personal authoring of reports, acts of moral turpitude. Those types of things," said Beles. "Those things could reflect upon the credibility of Sergeant Gantt."
The hearing for those two motions for discovery is scheduled for July 15.
