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Hernando Today

Chief: Drug Discrepancy Is 'Clerical Error'

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By HERNANDO TODAY STAFF

Published: May 8, 2008

Reports documenting the arrest of a suspected

drug dealer on Friday night give two figures for

the amount of confiscated marijuana and crack

cocaine.

In the original arrest affidavit, Brooksville

police officer Shawn Terry says he removed 59.3

grams of marijuana and 5.1 grams of crack cocaine

from Jamar Maner's underwear.

But flip over to the accompanying incident report

and Terry lists 58 grams of marijuana packaged

for sale and six grams of crack seized.

Which is it?

When a reporter pointed out the discrepancy to

Chief George Turner, the drugs were weighed in

the evidence room and the original amount, 59.3

grams of pot and 5.1 grams of crack, was found to

be correct. The drugs are worth a combined $900.

Turner said it was a "clerical error" and that he

would speak to Terry about keeping accurate

reports.

Maner's arrest came after the passenger in a

traffic stop tipped off police that a drug buy

would be going down in the Wal-Mart parking lot

on Broad Street. Maner, 22, of 910 Josephine St.,

was arrested in connection with that drug buy and

charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana

with intent to sell.

Transient Accused of Arson

A homeless man is accused of setting the contents

of a Dumpster on fire early Saturday morning.

Firefighters found the trash bin fully engulfed

in flames inside a vacant warehouse at 14378

Spring Hill Drive around 7 a.m. A deputy

recognized a camouflage backpack left on scene as

belonging to a transient named Ricky Brown.

Brown initially denied setting the fire, so

authorities let him go for lack of evidence. The

case was determined "inactive" on Monday but, on

Thursday, deputies caught up with Brown and

questioned him again. This time Brown admitted to

setting the fire, a report states, because he was

cold and wanted to keep warm.

Deputies charged Brown, 50, with arson because

the fire took place inside a building.

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