17 Cases Dismissed Over Accusations Against Lowell Informants
WOBURN, Mass. (AP) — Prosecutors say two informants handled by the Lowell police department may have planted illegal drugs on some suspects and provided false information to investigators, forcing authorities to dismiss 17 pending cases and vacate two convictions.
The informants worked with the special investigation section of the Lowell police department from about 2010 through last November, when state police detectives received allegations that they may have planted drugs and gave false information about people suspected of distributing drugs in the area.
The Middlesex District Attorney's Office began investigating the allegations and then handed over the probe to the Essex District Attorney's office to avoid conflict of interest. Investigators failed to corroborate the allegations. They also did not find sufficient evidence to prosecutor the informants for obstruction of justice or other crimes.
The unnamed informants no longer work with police.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
