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Broward sheriff's detective acquitted of charges he falsified crime reports

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 5, 2006

FORT LAUDERDALE - A former Broward sheriff's detective has been acquitted of charges that he falsified crime reports.

A jury deliberated for two hours Friday before finding Christian Zapata, 34, not guilty of eight counts of official misconduct. He had faced up to five years in prison on each count.

"I'm relieved justice has been served," said Zapata, who was suspended after his arrest in 2004.

Five other deputies have been charged in the case; two have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges.

Zapata's first trial ended Feb. 23 in a mistrial after defense attorneys said prosecutors failed to provide key documents. He still faces six identical charges to be tried separately.

"We're disappointed. We believe the evidence is strong," said Broward State Attorney's Office spokesman Ron Ishoy.

In October 2003, the state began investigating allegations that deputies systematically falsified crime reports, marking dozens of cases solved by attributing them to people who did not or could not have committed them.

Those people - most of them suspects in other cases - were never charged or prosecuted for the crimes they didn't commit.

However, because the cases were marked solved, investigations were closed and the actual perpetrators were never found.

[Last modified June 5, 2006, 05:56:19]