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From: egs@philly.infi.net (egs)
Newsgroups: alt.prisons
Subject: Stealing Drugs by NJ Police Detective
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 14:12:38 GMT
Organization: InfiNet
Lines: 38
Message-ID: 
NNTP-Posting-Host: pa3dsp19.phl.infi.net
Xref:  spln alt.prisons:26924
Philadelphia Inquirer 4/26/98
Atlantic City detective gets  probation for cocaine theft
                        
Joseph D. Russell, 39, a veteran Atlantic City police detective who was 
caught 
stealing cocaine from an evidence drawer, was spared a prison term yesterday.
                        
Russell, of Hamilton Township, was sentenced to three years' probation for 
his 
conviction for official misconduct. He also was ordered to submit urine 
samples, get substance-abuse counseling, and forfeit his pension. "To 
incarcerate him would place his life and limb in jeopardy," said Superior 
Court Judge Albert Garofolo.
                        
Police Chief James DiNoto notified prosecutors of alleged wrongdoing by the 
17-year veteran last November. A week later, DiNoto was caught taking cocaine 
that had been packaged and marked as evidence from a desk in the vice unit 
office, prosecutors said. Under a plea agreement, Russell agreed to forfeit 
his job and is barred from ever holding public employment again.
Question:  Why would incarcerating this police detective place his life and 
limb in jeopardy more than other CO's or police officers who are sent to 
prison for wrong-doing?  
Question:  Was this detective treated "special" b/c of his status?  Should he 
have received prison time given the current climate of criminalizing drug 
abusers?  Did he not just steal drugs but infact, commit robbery?  Where the 
charges procedurally correct [given the standard definition of robbery]?
egs
*******************************************
"Building more prisons to address crime is like
 building more graveyards to address a fatal disease."
 -Robert Gangi, Executive Director, 
 Correctional Association of New York
*******************************************
ICQ EIN: 4340735
E-Mail:   egs@philly.infi.net
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