"540 criminalsreleased following Evidence Mishandling Scandal "

by Tom West, Orlando Sentinel

posted: 1-20-2018

Well folks, the good news is that it seems like the flood of appeals and mistrial claims brought on by the fiasco of evidence manipulation in the sheriffs office has finally started to fade. No new motions have been brought to the district appellate court this week, and hearing dates have been scheduled out as far as May of the new year.

The bad news is that how much damage has already been done. As the consequences of the scandal surrounding the cover-up of evidence mishandling by Orange County sheriff's and Orlando police departments continue to unfold, a host of convicted criminals have returned to the courts to challenge the validity of the trials. Since September, 298 convictions have been either overturned or had sentences commuted, and another 244 previously convicts released on bail pending retrials.