MONEY, DRUG EVIDENCE MISSING FROM HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT

HOPEWELL, Va. -- A prosecutor is trying to determine how many pending cases
could be affected by the disappearance of evidence, including drugs and
about $10,000 in cash, from the Hopewell Police Department.

"I'm surprised and deeply disturbed," Commonwealth's Attorney Anthony
Sylvester said after learning about the problem during a court hearing
Wednesday. He said the missing evidence "is going to raise a lot of
issues we don't usually deal with."

Police Chief Rex Marks did not immediately return a phone call seeking
comment Thursday.

Problems with the evidence room are not related to the two-month-old
investigation by the Virginia State Police and the FBI into personnel
matters at the police department, Sylvester said. Several officers
have been placed on administrative leave during that investigation.

The missing evidence came to light after defense attorney Mary Martin
filed a motion to force Marks to answer questions about alleged
mismanagement in the department's evidence room. Martin is defending
Rontal Taylor, 19, who faces drug possession and weapons charges.

Rather than take the stand, Marks provided answers to about a dozen
written questions that Sylvester asked about the evidence room. Those
answers point to the missing evidence in drug cases dating to 1997.
Money is missing from cases that date to 1989, Sylvester said.

Sylvester said it's possible that the missing drugs were destroyed but
that files were not properly documented, but he said cash is rarely
destroyed.

The evidence in Taylor's case is not missing, the prosecutor said, but
Martin said the new information raises more questions about her
client's case, which is set for trial next week.

Sylvester has asked the city to provide another location to store
evidence.