Houston is dealing with a rat infestation in its evidence property room.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire claims that only rats are benefiting from the 400,000 pounds of marijuana and storage facilities in the city.
The Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney's Office have altered their evidence storage and processing procedures for criminal cases following a rodent infestation that caused some problems.
In a press conference, Police Chief Noè Diaz revealed that in October, the HPD discovered rats eating old marijuana in the evidence property room.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire stated that 400,000 pounds of marijuana and storage are currently being enjoyed by the rats alone.
Peter Stout, CEO of Houston Forensic Science Center stated, "Consider the fact that they are drug-addicted rats; dealing with them can be challenging."
Whitmire argues that the issue lies in the excessive amount of evidence being stored, rendering it unnecessary.
"The abundance of evidence has rendered it unnecessary to keep it stored; this does not affect the resolution of the charge, conviction, or innocence," he stated during the press conference.
He declared that they would collaborate with the DA to manage evidence appropriately and ensure that any unnecessary property is returned.
The evidence stored by HPD is no longer relevant, with 1.2 million pieces currently being stored.
Evidence like sticks, tennis rackets, bicycles, and even rocks were sometimes kept for decades after cases were solved.
According to the saying, the primary means of preventing the timely destruction of evidence is through the use of both communication and laws.
The accumulation of rats and mold in the evidence locker due to this has increased the risk of contamination of new evidence.
The defense is likely to challenge the credibility of the evidence used against their clients, according to Anthony Osso, a criminal defense attorney in Houston.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office and the Houston Forensic Science Center will collaborate to destroy all narcotic evidence obtained before 2015.
Records of the evidence will be kept indefinitely.
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