San Francisco cases at risk over officer histories

The newspaper reported a more comprehensive review later turned up about 80 officers whose records could be questioned.

State law requires prosecutors to alert the defense when any witness, including a police officer, has been arrested or convicted of crimes or has been accused of misconduct.

Brian Buckelew, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, confirmed the problem Tuesday for The Associated Press but would not comment on the number of officers in question, saying it could be "80, 800 or eight because the Police Department hasn’t let us know.”

"To comment on what the impact may be is just too premature,” he said.

Lt. Lyn Tomioka, a police spokeswoman, also declined to provide specific details.

"We can’t confirm or deny the allegations. This is all part of an ongoing investigative process,” Tomioka said.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi, whose office handles the majority of felony cases in the city, said his staff had not yet been notified by prosecutors or police of the problem.

However, if true, Adachi said, the failure to come forward with the information on officers’ criminal or misconduct records could threaten hundreds of cases.

"If this evidence is true, it is explosive and it will have a tremendous impact on criminal trials and cases that we have handled involving these officers,” Adachi said.

Prosecutors previously dropped more than 600 criminal cases after a San Francisco police crime laboratory technician acknowledged skimming cocaine evidence she was testing.

Retired lab technician Deborah Madden remained under investigation. She has not been charged.