
Elyssa Cherney Staff Writer
“The Kissimmee Police Department is arresting three of its own officers, who are accused of planning to raid a motel room during a drug arrest and then lying about it in court.
Officers Tiffany Hall, Taylor McFee and Felix Echevarria — who were all part of the department’s now-disbanded street-crimes unit — are suspended without pay, spokeswoman Stacie Miller said in a statement Tuesday.
The accusations came to light in March after Hall’s testimony in a marijuana-possession case did not match video of the arrest at a Kissimmee motel room.
Under oath Hall said she saw Jonathan Elliot make a hand-to-hand drug exchange with another man and that he then agreed to talk with her.
She arrested Elliot after finding 29.9 grams of cannabis in his room.
Elliot testified he never talked to Hall beforehand, and the three officers barged into his motel room announced.
A grainy surveillance video corroborated his account, and the charges were dropped.
Prosecutors then contacted KPD about the discrepancy between Hall’s testimony and the video.
KPD “immediately” reviewed the allegation and decided to start a criminal investigation, a report said.
“There does not appear to be a knock on the door as there would be by officers who are conducting a knock and talk,” an investigator wrote in the arrest affidavits issued for the officers.
“The movement appears to be covert and with a purpose…It appears the officers’ actions were planned and they acted as a team when they entered Elliot’s room,” the affidavit says.
The affidavit charges Hall, 29, with perjury, official misconduct and falsifying records. Her bond was set at $6,000. McFee, 24, and Echevarria, 49, are charged with official misconduct and had their bonds set at $2,500.
By Tuesday morning, only McFee had turned himself in, Miller said.
The rest is at the Orlando sentinel : http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-kissimmee-police-officers-arrested-perjury-20160419-story.html?platform=hootsuite
Some of Florida’s finest here
Florida is known for having the most corrupt cops in the nation
Who ever would have thought that a hero in blue would lie in court?
Next time you get a jury summons make sure that you go and do your civic duty
Just remember
It is just as likely, if not more, that any cop giving testimony is lying