Dallas PD cases now under review after videos deleted in high-profile murder case

DALLAS – Dallas County District Lawyer John Creuzot says his workplace is auditing all of a Dallas police detective’s circumstances after allegations surfaced that movies had been deleted in a excessive profile homicide case.

“I used to be shocked that someone would deal with a case like this,” Creuzot mentioned.

The DA says he sat in on a listening to final week for Nina Marano.

She’s charged with homicide within the demise of Marisela Botello.

The 23-year-old was discovered lifeless after touring from Seattle to Dallas in October 2020.

In response to Marano’s attorneys, some proof wasn’t turned over to them and different movies had been deleted.

“We’ve an officer we went to a number of instances, completely different prosecutors, and requested ‘are these the entire recordsdata?’ and the reply was sure. That was her reply. Actuality was no, and much from it,” mentioned Creuzot.

The DA’s workplace is reviewing all circumstances related to detective Christine Ramirez.

Dallas police have opened an Inside Affairs investigation into Ramirez.

In a court docket submitting, Marano’s attorneys have requested a decide to toss the case writing, “Whether or not it’s gross negligence or intentional acts by the Dallas Police Division, the dismissal of the indictment with prejudice is the correct treatment.”

Creuzot says the audit is to start with phases, however the circumstances might quantity within the a whole bunch.

“Each case she has ever filed and any case she labored on, our intention is to audit all of these circumstances no matter the place they’re. If there have been convictions we have to know what, if something, wasn’t turned over, so we will flip it over to the protection. It might have a bearing on whether or not an individual is entitled to a brand new trial,” he mentioned. 

The investigation comes simply days after the Dallas Morning Information reported on a separate difficulty with Dallas PD’s knowledge.

A division audit late final 12 months uncovered hundreds of movies throughout the Dallas Police Division’s system had been uncategorized.

The division says it has since been capable of repair the problem for most of the movies.

Creuzot says he needs his workplace realized about it sooner, however thus far there is no such thing as a proof any of the recordsdata had been crucial.

“My understanding is it’s turning physique cameras on and off. It might have been one thing at a scene that didn’t develop right into a case, it might be speaking to somebody the place there’s no crime, possibly put within the place the place it was on the finish of a shift and never tagged correctly,” he mentioned.

Two years in the past the division’s knowledge administration was within the highlight for one more difficulty.

A 2021 audit uncovered an IT employee’s mistake led to the deletion of 8 million recordsdata and a separate incident led to the lack of 4.5 million recordsdata.

READ MORE: Dallas police knowledge loss: IT worker reckless, however no malicious intent, report finds

[REPORTER: “Do you have any doubts or concerns in terms of how the Dallas Police Department is managing its data?”]

“I feel they’re doing the very best they’ll underneath the circumstances. It’s very troublesome to handle this a lot digital proof as we speak,” mentioned Creuzot. “I feel there’s an excellent religion effort from the police command to get this proper.”

Dallas Metropolis Council’s Public Security Committee will likely be briefed on the problems with the uncategorized movies subsequent month.

The Marano case is at the moment scheduled to go to trial March 27, with the decide but to rule on the movement for dismissal.