Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter announced this week that he's asking for over a dozen more drug convictions to be dismissed as the investigation into misconduct by former Benton Harbor police officer Andrew Collins continues. Collins was indicted late last year after an FBI and state police probe determined that he'd improperly handled evidence from narcotics cases, and even made false claims to justify bogus drug raids. Since then, the prosecutor has been reviewing hundreds of cases in which defendants were convicted as a result of investigations handled by Collins. Last month, Cotter asked a court to dismiss seven of them -- four of which involved individuals still in prison...and on Tuesday, Cotter said that he's asked that 15 more convictions be set aside...the charges dismissed...and the defendants discharged from any remaining sentences. The charges in the 15 cases range from delivery of narcotics to possession of marijuana and maintaining a drug house. In a press release, Cotter said that he's concluded the cases in question "can no longer be sustained as a result of false information contained in police reports, false information provided in affidavits to obtain search warrants, and other credibility issues". Additionally, Cotter is asking that two more cases be retried without the involvement of testimony from Andrew Collins. Cotter added that his investigation continues, and if more cases involving misconduct by Collins are found, he will take "further appropriate action".
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