Now that the Solorio case is settled, I feel compelled to write
concerning allegations made that officers of the Hollister Police
Department tampered with videotape evidence in this matter.
Dear Editor:
Now that the Solorio case is settled, I feel compelled to write concerning allegations made that officers of the Hollister Police Department tampered with videotape evidence in this matter. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I have reviewed the report of the FBI, confirming that there had been no such tampering. This reaffirms the faith I had in the men and women of the Hollister Police Department when I accepted the position of Police Chief.
Although I was not here at the time, I read in the July 29, 2003 online edition of the Free Lance that the defense attorney in this case “asked the FBI to conduct a civil-rights investigation based on allegations of tampering with evidence, denial of equal protection, denial of due process and destruction of evidence.” He is quoted as saying, “I am certain that someone broke the law, but the only way to get to the bottom of this is to conduct an investigation.”
These are very serious allegations, not to be taken lightly. Throughout this matter, the members of the police department maintained their professionalism and did not respond in kind to such reckless statements. Rather, they continued to serve this community faithfully, despite the attack on their integrity.
I feel an apology from the person making these false charges is due in the same public forum in which the accusations were made.
Jeff Miller,
Hollister Chief of Police
