Virginia trooper charged with destroying evidence
MARION, Va. (AP) - A Virginia State Police trooper has been accused of submitting false reports and destroying evidence.
The Bristol Herald Courier reports 40-year-old Trooper Lee J. Testerman was charged Monday with destruction of public record and false entry. A criminal complaint says the department evidence custodian admitted in April to "inadvertently" disposing of evidence in a drug-possession case before the case's trial.
It says Testerman also admitted to submitting a destruction order to the courts that displayed another trooper's name and a false destruction date. Smyth County Commonwealth's Attorney Roy Evans says the charge was dropped against the case's suspect after Evans learned about the evidence destruction.
Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says Testerman has been placed on unpaid administrative leave. Testerman was unavailable for comment. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.
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