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Chattanooga: Former officer to testify at drug trial

By: Monica Mercer
(Contact)

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Ashley Ownby

A former Chattanooga police officer who has been cleared of charges that he skimmed money from drug suspects is expected in federal court today to testify at the trial of a man who has accused him of planting crack cocaine.

“We intend to show that the drugs were planted by (Lawrence Goodine),” said Ashley Ownby, the attorney who represents defendant Leslie Allen.

Mr. Allen faces federal criminal charges of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm. Mr. Goodine arrested Mr. Allen during a 2006 traffic stop in which the former police officer allegedly found about 10 grams of the drug and a gun.

Mr. Allen initially pleaded guilty to the charges in early 2007, but Mr. Goodine’s own legal troubles in state court that would come to light a couple of months later — he was charged with extorting money from suspected drug dealers during traffic stops — ultimately would spur a federal judge to allow Mr. Allen to withdraw his plea.

“It’s almost unheard of to allow a defendant to withdraw a guilty plea in federal court,” Mr. Ownby said, noting the circumstances of Mr. Allen’s case are some of the “most interesting” he has come across in years.

At a hearing last September, Mr. Allen testified he had pleaded guilty only because his first defense lawyer told him he never could win at trial because he was a “high-ranking gang member” and had a criminal record.

In a video of the arrest shown during the hearing, a “little white package” can be seen falling to the ground while Mr. Goodine is trying to apprehend Mr. Allen on the passenger side of the car.

Realizing what the video showed was “sheer luck on my part,” Mr. Ownby said Monday.

The prosecution at the time admitted that a bag of something “moved,” but prosecutors said it was impossible to tell where it came from.

Mr. Ownby said the video coupled with the former police officer’s legal troubles “cast doubt on the culpability” of his client, according to court documents.

A Hamilton County jury, however, acquitted Mr. Goodine in March of eight counts of theft and official oppression and one count of perjury, and the former police officer since has been trying to regain his job with the city.

Lee Davis, who defended Mr. Goodine during the trial, said the latest allegation that he somehow brought crack cocaine to a traffic stop and planted it on a victim has no merit whatsoever.

“No (legal) authority has ever alleged that Mr. Goodine ever planted cocaine in this case,” Mr. Davis said.

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