Hello,
I hope this month’s edition of the Black Birdseye View finds you well and in good spirit. I am well. This month we will revisit the ongoing investigation into the Raleigh Police Department.
In September 2020 news broke that the Raleigh Police Department and the Wake County District Attorney took several months to investigate concerns involving Detective Omar Abdullah and an RPD Paid Confidential Informant (CI). According to District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, using fake evidence obtained from an RPD Paid CI, Abdullah arrested, charged, and detained 15 black people for up to three months on bonds of up to $250.000. The 15 framed individuals were released, with all cases dismissed due to several improprieties including manufactured evidence identified by the RPD Laboratory.
Amid talks about police reform, it is suggested that the police reduce unwarranted use of force and, in its place, fine-tune their de-escalation tactics. When most people think of police reform, their thought process does not go pass the physical. The reality is that the conversation about police reform overlooked the apparent elephant in the room. The one that exerts pressure unnecessarily by abusing its position of power.
RPD Detective Omar Abdullah is a seasoned veteran of the Raleigh Police Department. Detective Abdullah, an 11-year veteran, and award-winning RPD officer.
RPD Detective Omar Abdullah bought fake evidence from an RPD paid CI (Confidential Informant) Detective Abdullah contracted the CI with RPD resources on behalf of RPD.
For the money received from RPD Detective Omar Abdullah, the RPD paid informant allegedly provided a substance that looked like heroin and video footage of drug buys and/or sells. The substance and videos would later be determined to be fraudulent. It is alleged that there was no testing of the substance thought to be heroin before the arrest of the 15 individuals.
All 15 individuals were arrest during the height of COVID 19. RPD's Public Affairs Manager, Donna-Maria Harris, offered the following statement:
"The Raleigh Police Department is aware of this matter and is investigating it. We are cooperating fully with the District Attorney's Office."
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman offered the following troublesome statements:
I have not issued a statement per se but provided the following information during interviews to several media outlets. Several months ago, our office first received information that a confidential informant might be providing false information to a Raleigh Police Detective Abdullah that resulted in charges against approximately a dozen defendants for trafficking heroin. As lab results began being returned showing no controlled substances, we moved to unsecured bonds and dismiss cases associated with this informant. At this time, we have asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to conduct an investigation into the matter. Currently, there is no evidence that Detective Abdullah knew he was being provided fraudulent information. Nevertheless, this matter is of significant concern and will receive a thorough review by our office for a determination as to whether charges are appropriate against anyone involved.
What we know so far is that we do have a confidential informant who was providing false information to law enforcement and law enforcement was relying upon that in making charging decisions.
None of us want to be part of a system where a confidential informant is lying to law enforcement, and we're relying on that to prosecute people.
Certainly, if at some point, we determine that the officer was aware that the confidential informant was providing bad information, then this review will take a different direction."
QUESTIONS FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY LORRIN FREEMAN:
Why is the SBI only “assessing matters” to see if “Criminal” charges are called for…instead of both Criminal and Civil charges?
Why does her initial statements automatically imply that the Detective is innocent, and the CI is guilty?
What is the protocol for arresting someone based on information received from paid Confidential Informants?
Is that protocol the same across the board?
Were protocols skipped?
Was there an urgency to bring the 15 individuals to trial?
How does the RPD vet its CI's?
Why didn't RPD test the drugs and view the video evidence BEFORE 15 people were arrested, as opposed to after they were arrested?
Why did it take so long to discover that the evidence was fake?
Are all cases involving Detective Abdullah being revisited to ensure that other framed individuals are not in jail?
Shouldn't a seasoned detective know how to handle a CI?
If the CI was able to trick a seasoned veteran detective, what does that say for RPD.
How are RPD officers reprimanded when they let evidence or lack thereof fall through the crack, causing individuals to be charged and detained for crimes based on fake evidence?
How is arresting 15 black people on false charges using fake evidence JUST the CI’s fault?
How are RPD officers reprimanded when they let evidence or lack thereof fall through the crack, causing individuals to be charged and detained for crimes based on evidence that turns out to be potentially fraudulent?
If no evidence was tested, why were the 15 black people arrested in the first place?
When did framing people and locking them up on trumped-up charges become a personnel issue?
Are the citizens of Wake County North Carolina expected to believe that it is a coincidence that all the people charged are black
IN A NUTSHELL: 15 black people were...you may as well say kidnapped and caged like animals for up to 3 months on trumped-up charges stemming from fake evidence presented by an RPD police detective. This took place during the height of COVID-19. This columnist can attest that no social distancing was adhered to when male inmates appeared on camera to go before the judge from the Hammond Road detention location.
STATUS OF INVESTIGATION: Based on the following correspondence between:
Myself (Columnist Robin Ess)
RPD Internal Affairs
Wake Country District Attorney, Lorrin Freeman
North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations
No progress has been made in this "on-going investigation. In fact, from the looks of things... the investigation may be starting all over again. (SEE Email Thread Below) The gap between 1/27/21 and 3/21/21 is time spent giving this writer the run around.
Email UPDATES
UPDATE 3/22/21
From District Attorney Lorrin Freeman
“Good morning.
We are still working on this investigation. We asked the SBI to do additional work and expect to get those parts of this investigation this week.”
Raleigh Police Department is the best source for the officer’s status but It is our understanding he remains on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The confidential informant is not be used any longer.”
UPDATE 1/27/21.
From: Freeman, Lorrin (District Attorney) "We are reviewing what they have provided. There may be a follow-up investigation to be done. We have not at this time determined whether criminal charges will be able to be initiated."
UPDATE 1/27/2021
From: Grube, Anjanette / State Bureau of Investigation "That case file has been submitted to the DA for review. The DA will determine what, if any, charges will be filed, etc."
UPDATE 1/26/2021
From: RPD Internal Affairs Department "The Raleigh Police Department’s investigation is a "personnel" matter. As such, we are prohibited by NCGS 160A-168 from disclosing personnel matters. Any questions regarding the criminal investigation should be directed to the Wake County District Attorney’s office."
UPDATE 12/2/2020
From: Wake Country District Attorney Lorrin Freeman "The NC State Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the use of a confidential informant who was providing false information by Detective Abdullah of Raleigh Police Department is ongoing."
UPDATE 10/16/2020
From: Wake Country District Attorney Lorrin Freeman "This matter remains under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation."
UPDATE 10/5/2020
From: NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI WebContact) "Robin, Please contact the Raleigh Police Department or the Wake County District Attorney’s office for information regarding this case."
UPDATE 9/22/2020
From: Wake Country District Attorney Lorrin Freeman "Ms. Mills, I have not "issued a statement" per se but provided the following information during interviews to several media outlets. Several months ago our office first received information that a confidential informant might be providing false information to a Raleigh Police Detective Abdullah that resulted in charges against approximately a dozen defendants for trafficking heroin. As lab results began being returned showing no controlled substances, we moved to unsecured bonds and dismiss cases associated with this informant. At this time, we have asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the matter. Currently, there is no evidence that Detective Abdullah knew he was being provided fraudulent information. Nevertheless, this matter is of significant concern and will receive a thorough review by our office for a determination as to whether charges are appropriate against anyone involved."
UPDATE 9/15/2020
From: RPD Internal Affairs "The Raleigh Police Department is aware of this matter and is investigating it. We are cooperating fully with the District Attorney’s Office."
In closing:
There is no reason to believe that there are not innocent people being detained by the Raleigh Police Department based on fraudulent evidence at this time. The people demand that all cases involving both the CI AND the RPD detective involved be reopened and revisited and examined for fraud. It is imperative that these cases be combed over with a fine tooth comb to ensure that there are no other falsely accused individuals are being held on the strength of trumped-up charges. A formal complaint has been filed with RPD Internal Affairs Department. To date no response has been received by RPD.
############END OF EMAIL THRRAD############
An Afterthought:
The overwhelming lack of interest regarding this matter in the black community is disheartening. I have reached out to:
Old Black Panther Party
New Black Panther Party
NAACP
Black Activists and Influencers.
It is alarming that these organizations and people seem to care more about looking the part, sounding the part, and photo opportunities than putting themselves out there for a real cause. I guess it must be on national news to count (Makes no sense at all).
Additional Information:
The following are troublesome statements made by District Attorney Lorrin Freeman and ABC news regarding Detective Omar Abdullah and his arrests of 15 individuals on fraudulent drug charges
"What we know so far is that we do have a confidential informant who was providing false information to law enforcement and law enforcement was relying upon that in making charging decisions,"
-Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman.
"None of us want to be part of a system where a confidential informant is lying to law enforcement, and we're relying on that to prosecute people."
- Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman.
"The investigation regarding the 14 individuals fraudulently charged and detained, is probing every case that the "informant" has been involved in and what, if anything, Detective Abdullah knew about the bad information and phony heroin."
-According to ABC News
"Certainly, if at some point, we determine that the officer was aware that the confidential informant was providing bad information, then this review will take a different direction,"
-Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman.
"Concerns were first raised near the end of February."
- Wake County District Attorney, Lorrin Freeman.
READ BETWEEN THE LINE and ask yourself, If RPD never checked the evidence, why were the 15 black people locked up in the first place? SIGN THE PETITION to have all cases involving Detective Abdullah re-opened and examined for fraud.
Copy and paste the questions in this article and send them to District Attorney, Lorrin Freeman. Demand Answers.
Contact District Attorney, Lorrin Freeman
Physical Address: 300 S. Salisbury St. Wake County Justice Center, 8th Floor. Raleigh, NC 27601.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 31. Raleigh, NC 27602.
Call District Attorney: 919-792-5000.
Main Fax Number: 919-792-5003.
That’s where we are on this and “That’s All for Now” �. Be on the lookout. Until next time.
Always,
Robin Ess