2 POLICE DETECTIVES IN KENTUCKY ACCUSED OF EVIDENCE TAMPERING

LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 16 (AP) -- A grand jury has indicted two police
detectives on charges of misconduct, including accusations that they
tampered with drug evidence and forged judges' signatures on warrants.

The cases could result in the dismissal of charges and the reversal of
verdicts, officials said.

The two detectives, Mark Watson and Christie Richardson of the Jefferson
County Metro Narcotics unit, were arrested on Thursday and charged in a
472- count indictment, said Jeff Derouen, a spokesman for the Jefferson
County commonwealth's attorney's office.

The detectives pleaded not guilty at arraignments on Friday and were freed
on bond, a mix of land and $25,000 cash each.

The indictment involved 24 cases the detectives had worked on. The charges
included 20 counts of burglary, 132 counts of criminal possession of a
forged instrument and tampering with public records, and 70 counts of theft
by deception, Mr. Derouen said.