Three officers were charged last week with felony tampering with evidence, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams announced at a press conference.
"The officers removed alcoholic beverages from the car 3949," he said. "Let me be clear, that car is a crime scene - those alcoholic beverages were part of the crime scene and their removal is against the law."
He called the evidence against his officers clear cut. Earlier this month, three undercover officers were making a drug deal when they say Jerome Allen pointed what they thought was a gun at them. They shot and killed Allen. It turned out to be a fake gun.
The officers' conversations were recorded during the shooting. Court documents show 20 seconds after the shooting, Officer Kvies and Turner discussed removing the beer - evidence - from the car.
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"Hey, get all the beer," Kvies says.
"Yeah, get all of that [expletive]," Turner replies.
"How far I got to go with all these beers?" Kvies asks.
"As far as you can," comes Turner's response.
Then, minutes later: "We're good," Kvies explains, "I got rid of them all."
The third officer arrested, Griffis, asks, "Is there any in the back?"
The documents say there were four Natural Light cans and also a bottle of Miller Lite in the vehicle.
Undercover officers can use beer as props, Williams says, but removing them from a scene is a crime. All three officers involved were charged with evidence tampering and placed on leave.