The Carroll County sheriff's office, accused of incompetence in a murder case in which the Carroll County state's attorney said he was forced to drop the charges, issued a statement Friday that it has been the subject of "inaccurate rumors and innuendos."
"Sheriff’s office personnel are cooperating fully with an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct" being conducted by the Office of the Maryland state prosecutor, read the release by Maj. Phil Kasten to news outlets via e-mail.
The statement said Sheriff Kenneth Tregoning requested the investigation in October following motion hearings involving alleged perjury by an office investigator and senior staff member.
"Unfortunately the absence of public information created by the necessary protections built into the judicial process, and the lack of our direct involvement in the independent investigation has fostered inaccurate rumors and innuendos in relation to the dismissal of criminal charges for the 2010 death of Jeremiah DeMario," Kasten said.
"Until the results of this independent investigation are known, any further comments would be based on speculation rather than fact.
"We regret the disposition of this serious case. We grieve for the DeMario family along with all victims of crime. Our main objective remains unchanged - the delivery of professional public safety services in partnership with our allied criminal justice agencies."
Carroll County State's Attorney Jerry Barnes in the September 2010 stabbing death of DeMario, of Hampstead, saying the fault of that action lies with the Carroll County Sheriff's Department.
The trial was set to begin Monday, March 12.
Railing against contraceptives and highrt education and a woman' control of her body and health, $10,000 bets and not caing about the very poor from Republican candidates for presidentand now this in our county? It's no wonder most Carroll County Republicans are circling their wagons and keeping their mouths closed and their opinions among themselves. Republican Jerry Barnes, thank you, seems to have told the court how it is. No matter that he belongs to the super majority party in Carroll County he doesn't seem to be letting his affiliation rose color what he said under oath.
Commissioners Howard and Shoemaker met with Sheriff Tregoning on Friday to see what, if any, corrective action needs to be taken with regard to this incident. The Sheriff's Office and the Sheriff himself answer to the Board of Commissioners.
A good Sheriff should hold the Commissioners accountable for knowingly breaking the law on several occasions.
to the BOC rather than the people. Which way would you want it with this BOC?
People don't seem to be willing to expose themselves to repercussions associated with questioning the integrity of perceived authority.