PERJURY INQUIRY WIDENS

With the release from prison this morning of a Licking man, the number of
people whose convictions have been set aside because of links to a former
Cole County detective has reached 35.

Cole County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brown this morning approved a motion
by the Cole County prosecuting attorney to overturn the drug conviction of
Darrel L. Turner. Turner, 34, is just the latest person whose conviction
has been set aside because former Cole County detective Michael Isenberg
took part in the investigation.

Turner was convicted in January for distribution, manufacture or possession
of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Tackett has charged Isenberg, 28,
with three counts of perjury for allegedly lying under oath during the
trials of three men. Isenberg allegedly said he was present during drug
buys when he wasn't present.

The complaint filed against Isenberg says he perjured himself on May 7,
2002, Sept. 5, 2002, and April 8, 2003, while testifying in the trials of
Quentin R. Williams, Randall A. Robinette and Roy G. Chism, respectively.

All three were convicted.

Williams' conviction was overturned and he was released from prison May 7.
Robinette's conviction was overturned but he remains in jail on an
unrelated charge. Chism, who never made it to prison because he had yet to
be sentenced, had his April 8 conviction overturned.

Chism was awaiting sentencing when Tackett first looked into the
possibility that Isenberg lied, the prosecuting attorney said.

Isenberg, who started as a jailer five years ago and worked his way up to
detective a little more than one year ago, resigned in writing May 9. As a
detective, he worked with the Mid-Missouri Unified Strike Team and
Narcotics Group. The former detective testified in about 150 cases, Cole
County Sheriff John Hemeyer said.

"These are not cases that were totally fabricated. They were cases that
were somewhat embellished," Hemeyer said. "We're certain that some of these
cases are good and truthful. The problem is his testimony is subject to doubt."

Rob Trowbridge, Isenberg's lawyer and a former Cole County assistant
prosecuting attorney, said yesterday that his client would plead not guilty
at his earliest opportunity. A preliminary hearing is set for June 16.

Tackett said yesterday afternoon that he has nearly completed reviewing the
cases in which Isenberg was involved. He declined to say how many of those
whose convictions had been set aside pleaded guilty and how many were
convicted by juries.

Dan Viets, a Columbia defense attorney, said he has a client on probation
for a drug-related crime who wants a court review of his case because it
involved testimony from Isenberg.

"I think his word is not credible in any case, given what's happened,"
Viets said of the former detective.

- - Reporter James Goodwin contributed to this story.