70 Drug Cases Put Pressure on Lawyers
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A flood of weekend drug arrests left lawyers and court personnel scrambling Tuesday as they attempted to file more than 70 narcotics cases within the legally required 48-hour deadline.
The busts, which took place Friday and Saturday night in North Hills, stem from a controversial police tactic in which undercover officers “sell” macadamia nuts that closely resemble rock cocaine.
Caught in the sweep were five suspects who could face life in prison if convicted of a third felony under the state’s “three strikes law.”
The prosecutor handling the case, San Fernando Deputy Dist. Atty. Phil Halpin questioned the use of police and court resources for such prosecutions. “This is really making a sham out of what should be a system dedicated to something more serious,” Halpin said.
But Capt. Vance Proctor of the LAPD’s Devonshire Division defended the practice, saying they are trying to quell the open-air drug market on the residential streets of North Hills.
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