Pubdate: Fri, 07 Feb 2003
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2003 The Courier-Journal
Contact:  http://www.courier-journal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/97
Author: Gregory A. Hall, The Courier-Journal
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

EX-DETECTIVE FOUND GUILTY ON 21 COUNTS

Richardson Now Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison in Police Corruption Case

Former narcotics detective Christie Richardson faces up to 20 years in
prison after being found guilty yesterday of 20 felonies and a
misdemeanor in one of the largest police corruption trials in
Jefferson County.

Jurors are to return this afternoon to recommend a sentence for
Richardson, 36, whose face was flushed as Jefferson Circuit Judge
Steve Mershon read through the verdict on each of 284 counts.

Mark Watson, Richardson's former partner who pleaded guilty earlier
during the trial and testified against her, is to be sentenced March
24. Richardson left the courtroom without giving interviews. Her
attorney, Steve Schroering, wouldn't comment.

The jury acquitted Richardson on 15 burglary charges, which were the
most serious she faced; most charges of tampering with public records
and criminal possession of a forged instrument; and all theft charges.
The jurors also acquitted her of one bribery charge.

They found her guilty, however, of one charge of criminal possession
of a forged instrument and 19 counts of tampering with public records,
all of which are felonies. They also found her guilty of official
misconduct, a misdemeanor.

"I am disappointed a little bit," said prosecutor Scott Davis, "but
the truth of the matter is they (the jury) had a hard job to do. I
have a lot of respect for the job they did, and she has 20 felony
convictions. So that's very good."

On the tampering charges, the jury found that Richardson either made a
false entry into a Metro Narcotics file or illegally altered it.

The guilty verdict on possession of a forged instrument came in a case
that involved a bogus citation. The citation contained a fake social
security number, address and date of birth for the man listed on it,
according to Davis' closing argument. Richardson was also convicted of
tampering in that case.

The jury deliberated for 19 hours over three days in the trial, which
began almost a month ago.

The reading of the verdict took more than a half hour, with the
acquittals on the burglaries read first. Mershon was partway through
the criminal possession of a forged instrument charges and hadn't
reached a guilty verdict, when he came to some forms that were out of
numerical order.

He asked the jury if he could assume that they acquitted Richardson on
all the possession of a forged instrument charges. The jurors
indicated that they found her guilty on one count -- the first sign
that Richardson had been found guilty of anything.

At the conclusion of Mershon's reading of the verdicts, Davis asked
that Richardson be taken into custody and given a higher bond.
Schroering said that wasn't necessary and noted that Watson,
Richardson's co-defendant, had pleaded guilty on 299 felony counts,
his bond wasn't increased and that he remains free.

Mershon sided with Schroering, allowing Richardson to remain free on a
cash and property bond.

Both she and Watson were Jefferson County Police detectives until they
resigned last year after being indicted.

During the trial, Richardson said she trusted Watson and had no idea
that he was corrupt.

Richardson was accused of photocopying judges' signatures on warrants
and signing that she witnessed payments to confidential informants who
either didn't receive the money or said they weren't informants.

Louisville Metro Police Capt. Jeff Sherrard, the lead investigator in
the case, said he was disappointed with the outcome.

"There's never been a doubt in my mind" that Richardson knew what
was occurring, he said.

Dozens of onlookers sat in the courtroom as the verdicts were read,
including Davis and Jonathan Dyar, who both prosecuted the case;
Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Stengel, their boss; other prosecutors
and staff members and Watson's attorneys, Mary Sharp and Mark Miller.

Watson faces up to 20 years under the plea agreement he made with
prosecutors during the trial and can seek probation from Mershon.
Prosecutors are opposing probation and Watson said in his testimony
against Richardson, said he doesn't expect to get probation.

Sharp said she wasn't surprised by the jury's verdicts on
Richardson.

"I think it goes to show you why Mark Watson pleaded guilty, due to
the overwhelming nature and number of the charges," Sharp said. "She
faces as much time now as he could."

Sharp said the jury impressed her.

"They were obviously very thorough in making their decisions," she
said.

Stengel said he is "disappointed in the sheer number that we didn't
get. We felt that her involvement was substantially more or we'd have
never charged her. But apparently we didn't prove that to the degree
the jury wanted to see it proven."

Stengel and Davis said the case against Richardson was tougher to
prove than that against Watson.

"Our proof was I think overwhelming on Watson," Stengel
said.

"Mark Watson was the lead in the partnership," Davis said. "There
were not as many smoking guns on her as there were on him."

All Richardson's felony convictions are in the lowest classification
of felonies under state law, called Class D. Sentences for defendants
convicted of Class D felonies cannot exceed a total of 20 years,
Stengel said.

Davis said he and Dyar will speak with the defense about possibly
agreeing on a sentence that wouldn't require a jury
recommendation.

She is eligible for probation, rather than prison, although Davis
declined to say whether he and Dyar will oppose probation.

Today's sentencing will all but wrap up a case that began early last
year and has had a a major impact on the local criminal justice system.

At the time the trial began, eight convictions in cases worked by
Watson or Richardson had been set aside, involving seven defendants.
Charges against 32 defendants have been dismissed in 19 cases that
were pending in Jefferson Circuit Court. Prosecutors also dropped
allegations that were pending before the grand jury involving 17
defendants in nine cases.

In District Court, 15 cases have been dismissed or convictions in them
set aside, according to a spokesman for the County Attorney's office.
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