I-TEAM: More fallout expected in cases handled by of Oakland homicide detective

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Wednesday, June 22, 2016
I-TEAM EXCLUSIVE: More fallout expected in cases handled by Oakland detective
The ABC7 I-Team has learned there may be more fallout Wednesday in a murder case handled by an Oakland police detective.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The ABC7 I-Team has learned there may be more fallout Wednesday in a murder case handled by an Oakland police detective.

That detective was put on leave for letting his ex-girlfriend type up his police reports. And now the Alameda County public defender wants all cases handled by that detective reviewed and possibly dismissed.

"We've got to get to the bottom of this and figure out what reports have been audited by him, what reports have been audited by her," said Alameda County public defender Brendon Woods. "Either way, it brings into question his veracity and credibility as a police officer."

Sgt. James Michael Gantt let his girlfriend type up police reports, according to what his own attorney told Bay City News.

The one-time lead homicide investigator worked dozens of high profile cases. One was the 2013 murder of Oakland dog walker Judy Salamon.

A transcript of Sgt. Gantt's testimony during a hearing in that case last year raises several questions. Gantt told the court he took numerous witness statements and conducted several interviews. It's unclear what material he provided to his girlfriend to help her help him write his reports.

But during cross-examination, Gantt seems to surprise both defense attorneys and prosecutors when he produces hand-written notes he took during an interview with a key witness.

One defense attorney points out: "I don't have those, nor does the district attorney, nor does defense council Mr. Stallworth, because they were not provided in discovery."

A few minutes later Gantt is asked: "Did you turn over your notes from your interview with (the witness) to the district attorney? And he replies: "No, because I couldn't find them." Gantt tells the court he found them "last night."

Gantt's role in the investigation of the Salamon murder case is likely to come up at a Wednesday hearing in Oakland.

And with a trial scheduled for July, more could be learned about Gantt's conduct and how it will affect the prosecution of the two men accused of Judy Salamon's murder.