Following an inquiry that cast doubt on their credibility, two North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers, Trooper Garrett Macario and his supervisor, Sgt. Matthew Morrison, have been placed on administrative leave, resulting in about 180 cases being dismissed. The situation unfolded as the aftermath of a fatal crash in Raleigh was reviewed, with Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman taking action after finding inconsistencies on the officers' recorded footage. "We received information the last week in December that there had been an accident, a one-car fatality on Capital Boulevard in October, in which the interaction of the trooper on scene had come into question," Freeman said to CBS 17.
The dismissal of cases primarily related to driving while impaired charges where Macario was the arresting officer. "Under state law and our ethical responsibility as prosecutors, when we have witnesses who we believe their credibility is at issue, we have a responsibility not to call them as witnesses in cases," Freeman explained on CBS17. Furthermore, Freeman relayed her distress during a statement obtained by WRAL, "This is concerning to us, and it's disturbing, but we are committed to doing things the right way," and emphasizing, "We believe credibility among law enforcement officers is essential to the work that we do."
The scope of the issue widened as investigators found enough evidentiary problems to also scrutinize Sgt. Morrison's conduct. "There was information in the body cam and dash cam video that I reviewed that also gave rise to concerns about his credibility," Freeman told CBS 17. She further anticipated that some of Morrison’s cases will likely to be dismissed as well. The ramifications of these findings underscore the severity of the allegations and the measures being taken to address them.
Freeman's stance on the matter was clear and firm. She expressed frustration with the officers' conduct in a statement to ABC11, saying, "It's incredibly frustrating. We trust our law enforcement to tell the truth. And when we have reason to believe they aren't, it's disgusting, frankly." Her comments highlight the disappointment and gravity felt by those tasked to uphold the law when trusted officers fail to meet their ethical obligations. Both troopers' futures with the Highway Patrol remain uncertain as the investigations continue, with Macario's employment history extending back to February 2019, and Morrison's stretching even further to July 2012.
