Former police officer acquitted of misdemeanor charge
BY jason kotowski Californian staff writer jkotowski@bakersfield.com
A former Bakersfield police officer accused of throwing rocks through the window of a local business while on duty was acquitted of a misdemeanor vandalism charge Tuesday morning.
Scott Monroe Drewry wept tears of joy when the jury's verdict was delivered, said David A. Torres, his attorney.
"I call it the million dollar misdemeanor," Torres said of the charge. "It should never have gone to trial."
Drewry, who was fired by the department, will see if he can get his job back, Torres said.
"He still wants to be a police officer," Torres said. "He's not bitter towards the District Attorney's office, he's not bitter towards the Bakersfield Police Department."
BPD Sgt. Mary DeGeare said that as of Tuesday there were no plans to reinstate Drewry. She declined further comment because it's a personnel issue.
Prosecutor Joseph Kinzel could not immediately be reached for comment.
The investigation of Drewry, 39, began after a broken window was discovered Jan. 5, 2010, at the front of Moments in Time Scrapbooking on District Boulevard. Large cement rocks had been thrown through the window.
Surveillance video showed a portion of what appeared to be a police cruiser passing through the area, police reported. Neighboring business employees told officers they heard glass breaking and then saw a cruiser with headlights and taillights off quickly leave the parking lot.
The owner of Moments in Time told police she had been involved in a civil dispute with a family member of Drewry and she believed Drewry was responsible for the damage, police said.
Torres said Drewry testified he had taken a transient to a bus depot on the night the vandalism occurred. Drewry then drove to his house, and afterward conducted followup work on an investigation connected to his beat, Torres said.
The jury considered the evidence and found there was a substantial amount of reasonable doubt, Torres said.
"This basically reinstated (Drewry's) belief in the justice system," he said.
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