Post by KC on Sept 23, 2006 20:20:24 GMT -5
September 23, 2006 - SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The Sonoma County Sheriff has launched an internal investigation into the department's handling of the John Mark Karr child pornography case.
The probe will focus on the loss of a key piece of evidence: a computer bearing pornographic images seized five years ago from the home of the one-time JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect.
"We found there were some mistakes made, so let's look at the whole case," Sheriff Bill Cogbill said.
The computer was taken from Karr's home in 2001, when the former substitute teacher was charged with five misdemeanor counts of possessing child pornography. He fled before his trial, but was arrested again last month in Thailand after suggesting he killed the 6-year-old Colorado beauty queen in 1996.
Investigators have since said Karr was not involved in Ramsey killing, but Sonoma County officials have brought him back to California to face the pornography charges.
The case has been jeopardized by the department's admission that the computer containing the incriminating images was lost, probably thrown out during its move in 2002.
Printed copies of the images, along with detailed descriptions of the material on the computer's hard drive, will likely allow the case to proceed.
Karr on Thursday rejected a plea deal that would have allowed him to walk out of jail free if he agreed to plead guilty to two of the five charges, serve three years of probation and register as a sex offender.
He's being held on $200,000 bail because he is considered a flight risk. His trial is scheduled for Oct. 2.
www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/15593096.htm
The probe will focus on the loss of a key piece of evidence: a computer bearing pornographic images seized five years ago from the home of the one-time JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect.
"We found there were some mistakes made, so let's look at the whole case," Sheriff Bill Cogbill said.
The computer was taken from Karr's home in 2001, when the former substitute teacher was charged with five misdemeanor counts of possessing child pornography. He fled before his trial, but was arrested again last month in Thailand after suggesting he killed the 6-year-old Colorado beauty queen in 1996.
Investigators have since said Karr was not involved in Ramsey killing, but Sonoma County officials have brought him back to California to face the pornography charges.
The case has been jeopardized by the department's admission that the computer containing the incriminating images was lost, probably thrown out during its move in 2002.
Printed copies of the images, along with detailed descriptions of the material on the computer's hard drive, will likely allow the case to proceed.
Karr on Thursday rejected a plea deal that would have allowed him to walk out of jail free if he agreed to plead guilty to two of the five charges, serve three years of probation and register as a sex offender.
He's being held on $200,000 bail because he is considered a flight risk. His trial is scheduled for Oct. 2.
www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/15593096.htm