Do problems exist within the VCSO Major Case Unit? Will such problems place future prosecutions in jeopardy?
Updated March 23, 2011
"The written word is the only reason this case is going to be in a courtroom"- Ex-Los Angeles Police Detective, Mark Furman
DO PROBLEMS EXIST WITHIN THE VOLUSIA COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT?
VolusiaExposed.Com has been actively exposing possible problems within the Volusia County Department of Public Protection (VCDPP) for over a year now.(March 2010 - March 2011)
During this time frame, VolusiaExposed.Com has developed some concerns about the Volusia County Sheriff Department (VCSO). The VCSO is NOT a subsection of the VCDPP. However, both departments (VCSO and the VCDPP) are part of the Volusia County Government. VCDPP is operated under the supervision of an administratively assigned (by the County Council) director, while the VCSO is directed by the elected county sheriff.
In late 2009, a long time VCSO administrator, Mike Coffin assumed the position of Director of the VCDPP.
We have concerns of how apparently the VCSO Major Case Investigative Unit has mishandled several law enforcement corruption investigations. These corruption investigations include, but are not limitied to, the possible falsification of official records regarding inmate jail deaths(Inmates Viera,Comeau and Nelson deaths), the possible obstruction of justice by a VCSO captain (Captain Osowski incident), and the possible sexual based misconduct charge against a VCSO deputy regarding a female arrestee(Deputy Willard incident).
These concerns are individually explained in the below web link(s).
VolusiaExposed.Com poses the question of whether the VCSO investigators purposely blurred the facts surrounding these investigations in order to reduce any possible civil liability to the Volusia County Government? If so, have these investigators placed their future credibility in jeopardy? In short, will some future high profile case hinge on whether any of these major case investigators failed to act or blurred some facts in any of these questionable investigations (jail deaths, Captain Osowski and the Deputy Willard investigations)?
CAPTAIN OSOWSKI INCIDENT
We wish to express ours concerns of how VCSO failed to immediately open an internal agency investigation into the Captain Osowski incident. Initially, VCSO went on public record saying that they had no obligation to conduct this internal agency investigation due to the pending retirement of Captain Osowski. Only after VolusiaExposed.Com notified the VCSO that a failure to conduct the investigation would be a perceived violation of Florida State law (F.S. 943.1395(5)), did VCSO openly admit that an investigation had to be conducted.
VolusiaExposed.Com has expressed concerns regarding the September 2009 in-custody death of Volusia County jail Inmate Tracey Veira. VCSO Investigator Campanella's and Medical Examiner Investigator Lunt's observations of Inmate Veira's body (state of decomposition) is not apparently consistent with jail staffs documented timeline observations and interactions with her. In short, Ms. Veira appears to have been dead longer than jail records can support - and the high probability that these jail records have been falsified.
VolusiaExposed.Com has un-covered documents that tends to support that other in-custody deaths at the Volusia County jail involve falsified documents and possible coverups by jail and VCSO officials.
On January 19, 2011 a female arrestee filed (verbally filed - as so advised by VCSO) a complaint against Reserve Deputy Willard. The female arrestee alleges that Deputy Willard sexually groped her at a isolated area prior to him delivering her to the county jail. Although Deputy Willard admitted that he violated several VCSO policies regarding transporting prisoners (removing handcuff, not calling in mileage etc.), both the criminal and internal affairs investigations cleared Deputy Willard of any serious misconduct. Prior to being cleared, but shortly after his interview, Deputy Willard shot himself and died.
VolusiaExposed.Com has some additional concerns regarding the apparent lack of professionalism exercised by VCSO personnel in their investigation into the complainant's allegations. In the particular, the apparent lack of professionalism exhibited by VCSO Investigator Graves during his interview of the complainant.
We wonder if many of the apparent problems surrounding the conduct of VCSO investigations can be linked to an apparent conflict of interest within Volusia County Government? We invite you to review the below web link that details our concerns. After your review, we ask that you determine for yourself whether these agencies are acting in the best interest of the citizens of Volusia County.
VolusiaExposed.Com believes that if the above is transpiring, that the Volusia County community is NOT being well served. While we might initially save a few dollars regarding civil lawsuits, in the end, such will put high profile cases in jeopardy, in similar fashion as many have alleged that Los Angeles Detective Mark Furman did in the O.J. Simpson prosecution. Not to mention losing their (VCSO) credibility on both past and future cases within Volusia County.
We invite you to read the VCSO Mission Statement. Has the VCSO lived up to these commitments?