| On January 14, 2015, police in Baytown, Texas arrested 37-year-old Richard Roberson after they confiscated from him pills suspected to contain hydrocodone, a codeine-based painkiller.
On March 25, 2015, Roberson pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 30 days in the Harris County Jail, but was released immediately after receiving credit for the 71 days he had spent in custody after his arrest.
In August 2015, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences tested the pills and no controlled substances were found.
The laboratory notified the Harris County District Attorney’s conviction integrity unit, which informed Roberson’s defense attorney of the negative lab report.
In May 2016, Roberson’s attorney filed a motion for a new trial, supported by the prosecution. On May 12, the conviction was vacated and the prosecution dismissed the charge.
– Maurice Possley
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