COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A prosecutor says 15 drug cases have been dismissed following the suicide of a central Ohio police detective who’d been arrested on federal drug charges.
Former Reynoldsburg officer Tye Downard hanged himself in his one-person cell last month three days he was charged with delivering drugs including heroin, cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills to someone else to sell.
Federal authorities say Downard made more than 20 deliveries of narcotics between October 2015 and February 2016. Court documents say some of the drugs were seized during police investigations.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said Tuesday he recommended the dismissal of 15 cases in which Downard was involved in the interest of justice.
O’Brien said the charges against Downard raised doubts about prosecuting the cases fairly.
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