ALBANY DA TOO QUICK TO DISMISS

Heads have been shaking - and understandably so - over a decision by the
Albany County District Attorney's Office to drop drug charges against a
prominent Loudonville physician one day after he was found with cocaine
in his car and seen by police throwing two chunks of crack out the
window.

Everyone knows what happens to an "ordinary" person - particularly a
minority - under such circumstances. They're lucky if they don't have to
spend the night in jail, and are almost certain to have to stand trial
to tell their side of the story - and hope a judge or jury buys it.

Not so Dr. Darroch Moores. He's well-enough known as a cardiothoracic
surgeon (not to mention white and wealthy) that when his lawyer told
Assistant District Attorney Francisco Calderon that a drug dealer had
mysteriously jumped into Moores' car, caused him to panic and run a red
light; then jumped out and fled when the cops pulled him over, Calderon
bought the story. He also believed the "dealer" left his crack behind.

DA Paul Clyne, who initially supported his assistant's decision but now
regrets it, says they didn't learn the cops' side of the story - that
Moores, not the "dealer," threw the crack out the window - until after
they'd dropped the drug charge. Perhaps next time they'll wait for a
trial to ascertain the facts, or at least take the trouble to check out
a perp's story before declaring him innocent.