SEATTLE (AP) — Charges have been thrown out in a Washington case after it was revealed a county sheriff was using a courtroom security camera to zoom in on defense notes and a juror’s notebook.
A San Juan County Superior Court Judge reviewed video from the surveillance camera and subsequently dismissed misdemeanor assault and trespass charges against a Lopez Island man after finding the incident amounted to government misconduct that had violated his right to a fair trial.
San Juan County Sheriff Ron Krebs, in a sworn declaration, says he “inadvertently manipulated the camera in the District Courtroom in such a way that it zoomed in on one or more locations in the courtroom” and insisted he didn’t read or pass on anything he may have seen.