On January 14, 2012, police in Houston, Texas arrested 31-year-old Shimira Sanches after they seized a substance from her that field-tested positive for cocaine.
On March 2, 2012, Sanches pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to possession of a controlled substance. She was sentenced to two years probation.
On January 27, 2012, the Houston Police crime laboratory tested the suspected cocaine and no controlled substance was detected. However, the test report was not forwarded to Sanches’ defense attorney.
In 2014, the Harris County District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit discovered that the laboratory test in Sanches’ case, as well as hundreds of others, was negative for the presence of illegal substances. In September 2016, the prosecution joined with Sanches’ attorney to file a state law petition for a writ of habeas corpus.
On September 28, 2016, the petition was granted, the conviction was vacated and the charge was dismissed.
– Maurice Possley
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