Pubdate: Fri, 04 Mar 2005
Source: News & Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2005 The News and Observer Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.news-observer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/304
Author: Kayce T. Ataiyero, Staff Writer

EX-DEPUTY DENIES DRUG THEFT

A Former Chatham Officer Testifies In A Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Of
Another

Randy Keck Said He Was Not Behind The Firing Of A Sergeant.

PITTSBORO -- A former Chatham County chief deputy testified Thursday
that he botched the handling of 5,000 pounds of marijuana evidence
that was stolen from the department but said he did not swipe the
drugs nor did he work to cover up the theft.

Randy Keck testified in Chatham County Superior Court during a
wrongful termination lawsuit against former Sheriff Ike Gray. Gray is
being sued by former Sgt. Dan Phillips, who says he was fired in 2001
in retaliation for alerting the FBI about the theft of marijuana from
the old county landfill. Phillips also says he was fired because of
his attempt to expose racism in Chatham County schools by making a
tape recording of a former high school principal using racial slurs.

Gray has said he fired Phillips for insubordination.

About 4,000 pounds of marijuana were stolen from a surplus Army truck
parked behind the sheriff's office. An additional 1,000 pounds was
later taken from the landfill. The drugs, which had a street value of
$5 million, had been seized in February 2000 during an undercover sting.

In September 2000, Keck was in charge of the department's narcotics
unit. He testified that he followed virtually none of the proper
procedures for handling the drugs. His missteps included going to the
landfill alone to bury the marijuana and not taking steps to destroy
the drugs.

Phillips' attorney, Al McSurely, suggested that Keck ditched the two
deputies who were supposed to go with him to the dump so he could
steal the drugs. McSurely said the jury would have to "take your word
for it that you went directly to the landfill."

McSurely suggested Keck's desire to cover up the thefts is what
prompted him to tell Gray that Phillips was insubordinate. Keck
testified that he told Gray that Phillips had threatened to sue him
during an internal affairs investigation into the tape of the principal.

McSurely contends there was a countywide conspiracy to fire Phillips
to silence him about the thefts and racist incidents at Chatham
Central High School.

Keck testified that he had no part in firing Phillips and didn't warn
deputies to "keep their mouths shut" about the thefts. He said he does
not know of any incidents in which Gray condoned racism or threatened
employees about speaking out.

Like Gray, he placed much of the responsibility for admonishing
deputies at the feet of former Sheriff Don Whitt.

Choking up at times, Keck said he did not steal the marijuana. He said
he simply made some mistakes.

"I made some bad judgments. I let the people of Chatham County down
and I am sorry for that," he said. "The only thing you have is your
pride, and I don't have that anymore because I did something stupid."

Former deputy Jeffrey Scott testified later for the plaintiff and
refuted many of Keck's statements, including those about not
threatening officers who considered speaking out about the missing
drugs.

Scott testified that Keck told him and another deputy that they would
be indicted by the FBI if they said anything about the thefts. Scott
also said Keck denied requests from deputies that the drugs be
properly logged and destroyed.

Judge Douglas Albright prohibited the Rev. Carrie Bolton from
testifying. He ruled that her testimony was irrelevant. McSurely
sought to have the local civil rights activist testify about the
racial climate in Chatham.
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