| On February 28, 2013, police in Houston, Texas arrested 33-year-old George Reyes after they confiscated 20 doses that field-tested positive as LSD.
On April 11, 2013, Reyes, who had prior convictions for drug possession, pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to a charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 10 months in Texas State Jail.
In October 2014, the Houston Police crime laboratory tested the suspected LSD and reported that no controlled substances were found—all tests were negative. By that time, Reyes had served his sentence and been released.
In 2015, the Harris County District Attorney’s Post Conviction Review Unit was notified of the negative laboratory findings and informed Reyes’ defense attorney. The prosecution joined with the defense in filing a state petition for a writ of habeas corpus. The trial judge recommended the writ be granted and on June 17, 2015, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted the writ and vacated Reyes’ conviction.
On July 24, 2015, the prosecution dismissed the charge.
– Maurice Possley
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