A man jailed for four months for meth possession has been released after the police realised that the suspected ‘crystal meth’ was actually just salt.
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The man from Queensland, Australia was initially arrested after cops found the substance in his car. Somehow it took 4 months for them to carry out forensic tests and all the while this guy was kept locked up in a cell.
His lawyer said the way the police dealt with this guy probably had something to do with his client’s previous criminal convictions.
Anyway the charges were dropped after tests confirmed the substance was just salt, and now not only are the police getting an earful but so is Queensland’s Forensic and Scientific Services for taking their sweet time in returning the tests, which is apparently a repeat problem.
A Maryborough magistrate said:
For the last 14 years nothing has been done (about the delays)… once again the government needs to have a look at what they are doing in relation to this.
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Even though it sounds like this guy may have been inside a cell before, just imagine being locked up for 4 months knowing that the cops had found SALT in your car and mistaken it for METH. You’d be pleading your case non-stop and wondering why you’re still in prison after 24 hours, never mind 4 months. The nerds in the science lab are just kicking back taking their time with their tests while this guy’s losing his mind in prison for 1/3rd of the year.
4 months just seems a little long to realise that the crystal meth you picked up is actually salt, that’s all.
Still…could be worse. This guy was in jail for THIRTY YEARS before they realised he was innocent.
