NEW ORLEANS — Missing evidence has been a salient concern for the NOPD after Chief Anne Kirkpatrick told the New Orleans City Council Monday that rats had been entering evidence rooms and eating marijuana. Kirkpatrick testified that the critters were getting high off the confiscated drugs.
However, according to NOLA.com, 55 pieces of evidence are missing from NOPD's evidence department that are unrelated to stoned rodents. An internal investigation pointed to a 20-year veteran of the department named Earl Johnson.
Johnson, who died in May 2023, handled evidence for the NOPD's 4th district for much of his two decades on the force.
A document obtained by whistleblower and UNO chemistry instructor Skip Gallagher said those pieces of evidence had been missing from cases that included a death, assault, battery, 13 burglaries, two car thefts and two hit-and-runs.
In 2022, the Orleans District Attorney, working with the Public Integrity Bureau, suggested that Johnson face 31 counts of malfeasance in office. But Johnson never faced any criminal charges before he died.
D.A. Jason Williams said Friday that if there was enough evidence to charge Johnson, the blame lies with the NOPD.
"This investigation was no different than any other criminal investigation conducted by NOPD. They were authorized to, and mandated by law to, seek an arrest warrant if and when they had sufficient evidence of criminal activity," Williams' office said Friday. "Any failure to do so rests solely with NOPD and with the leadership of that organization at the time.
Donavan Livaccari, an attorney for the Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police said that he does not think the case against Johnson would have held water even if Johnson had lived longer.
"I don't believe they had the requisite evidence to make a criminal case," Livaccari told NOLA.com.
