TAMPA, Fla. -- The Florida State Attorney's Office threw out 17 convictions on Wednesday.
The decision comes after the Tampa Police Department fired three officers for violating department policy.
TPD Chief Brian Duggan said it all started in September 2018 after someone complained about officers Mark Landry and John Laratta threatening them. TPD launched an investigation on 11 of its officers, including Landry and Laratta.
Landry and Laratta were fired after the investigation. A third officer, Algenis Maceo, was also fired. Seven others were reprimanded.
Duggan said the officers violented department policy by withholding evidence, not making arrests, failing to file police reports and in some cases, shutting off their body cameras.
The disciplinary actions forced the state's attorney office to drop five pending cases. Then, they had to review over 220 closed cased, which led to vacating 17 convictions, even though all 17 entered a guilty plea.
"The decision here was based on a process that violated basic standards of due process and fairness because of a lack of credibility of these three officers," said state attorney Andrew Warren.
If you had a run-in with the three officers and feel that you have been wrongfully convicted, you are asked to call the state's attorney office at 813-272-5400.
