Six more drug cases dismissed
Fired Lawrence Police officer was to be a witness at trials
The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office has thrown out at least six more criminal cases in which fired Lawrence Police Officer Stuart “Mike” Peck was supposed to be a witness.
That means at least 10 of Peck’s cases — all but one of them drug-related — have been tossed from Douglas County District Court in recent weeks.
Three men accused of dealing marijuana, one of them also accused of dealing cocaine, are among the suspects whose cases have been dismissed.
“It’s sad. It doesn’t seem like justice is being served,” Peck told the Journal-World.
Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a Police Department spokesman, said he couldn’t say much about the cases without violating confidentiality required in personnel matters.
“It’s unfortunate that any case would have to be dismissed,” Pattrick said.
Peck was suspended late last month after a judge ruled that he gave misleading information to get a search warrant in a drug case. Peck was fired Feb. 10, though he maintains he did nothing wrong.
Peck had been slated to be a witness for the prosecution in the following cases:
- Marques A. Devoe, 21, was charged with dealing cocaine and marijuana; failure to pay a drug tax and possession of drug paraphernalia, all felonies.
Judge Jack Murphy dismissed the case Feb. 3. The reason for the dismissal, Assistant Dist. Atty. Dave Zabel said in a motion, was that a “material witness” was unable to testify.
- Devoe also faced a felony cocaine-possession charge and misdemeanor charges of having marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Murphy dismissed them on the same day as Devoe’s other case, and Zabel cited the same reason for dismissal.
- Erick C. Wallace, 21, no longer faces felony charges of dealing marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of morphine and failure to pay a drug tax.
Judge Paula Martin dismissed the case Feb. 5 at the request of Assistant Dist. Atty Dan Dunbar. Dunbar’s motion to dismiss wasn’t available for review Friday.
- Alexander Dawkins III, 18, had been charged with dealing marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, both felonies.
Martin dismissed the case Feb. 6 after Zabel cited “insufficient evidence.”
- Kyle E. Coats, 19, no longer faces a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession. Judge Robert Fairchild dismissed the case Feb. 7. An “essential witness” was unable to testify, Assistant Dist. Atty Trent Krug said in a court document.
- Matthew M. Reed, 23, no longer faces misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Judge Michael Malone dismissed the charge Feb. 10 after Assistant Dist. Atty. Angela Wilson said in a motion that a witness was unavailable.
The four other cases dismissed are a marijuana-possession case, two drug-dealing cases and a theft case.
Assistant Dist. Atty. Shelley Diehl referred questions about the cases to Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney, who was out of the office and not available for comment.







