Charlotte Police Chief Rodney Monroe has appointed an independent panel to review all cases involving a former homicide detective who threw away notes in the murder case involving suspect Demeatrius Montgomery.

Montgomery, 28, is on trial charged with killing CMPD officers Jeff Shelton and Sean Clark at the Timber Ridge Apartments in east Charlotte in 2007.

In pre-trial testimony last week, former homicide detective Arvin Fant admitted that he threw away notes that may have contained information about another possible suspect in the killings. He also testified that he used another detective’s notes to supplement the report he did file.

Because of Fant’s actions, Superior Court Judge Forrest Bridges ruled that the case had been tainted and that Montgomery would not face the death penalty if found guilty.

The Charlotte Observer reported later that Fant was involved in other cases in which notes may have been discarded.

In a CMPD release Monday, the department said the panel would be led by retired Mecklenburg County Superior Court Judge Shirley Fulton (photo) and retired internal affairs and investigative supervisors from the CMPD.

The panel will conduct an “open and thorough examination” of all cases in which Fant served as lead detective, the release stated. The purpose, CMPD said, is to determine whether discrepancies existed in any of his other cases.

The review, which will begin this week, will be monitored by the Mecklenburg County district attorney’s office. If discrepancies are found, CMPD said, the DA’s office will conduct further review.

In addition to the independent panel, CMPD supervisors and lead detectives are conducting an internal review of all homicide cases where Fant may have assisted to ensure all policies and procedures were followed.

Fant, a 12-year veteran, has been placed on administrative leave.
 

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