Pubdate: Thu, 03 Oct 2002
Source: Sudbury Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The Sudbury Star
Contact:  http://www.thesudburystar.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/608
Author: Harold Carmichael

DRUG OFFICER'S FATE NOW IN JURY'S HANDS

A Superior Court jury in Sudbury began deliberating Wednesday in the trial 
of an Ontario Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit officer charged with 
deliberately setting a fire in an evidence room in North Bay.

The seven-man, five-woman jury began its deliberations around the dinner 
hour following a two-hour charge by Justice John Poupore.

Det. Const. James Buckle, 40, who is suspended with pay, is charged with 
deliberately setting a fire Oct. 25, 1997 in the evidence room of an OPP 
building at 126 Lakeshore Dr. in North Bay.

The rented building, which had controlled access and an alarm system, was 
home to both the North Bay OPP's Drug Enforcement Unit and Anti-Rackets Squad.

The fire damaged the contents of a metal storage locker and the wall behind 
the locker.

The six-compartment locker was used to store seized items such as money and 
narcotics. A lock secured each compartment.

Damage was estimated at $2,300.

An investigation by the OFM determined the fire had been deliberately set 
using naphtha.

The Crown is alleging Buckle started the fire.

The defence, meanwhile, has suggested the fire could have resulted due to 
spontaneous combustion of marijuana.

The trial has heard that small evidence envelopes containing marijuana were 
kept in the locker, and that two days before the fire, a strange odour was 
detected in the office.

The source of the odour could not be determined.

The trial also heard that a large bag of mouldy marijuana was being stored 
next to the locker at some point before the fire.
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