After a landmark ruling earlier this year, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) is proposing changes to a key directive that could determine whether criminal defendants have access to information that could potentially exonerate them in legal cases.
PPB Directive 0320.00 was initially implemented three years ago to guide how the Bureau reports information relevant to criminal cases, including allegations of officer misconduct for bias, excessive force, dishonesty, and more.
The directive is in keeping with the responsibility of police and prosecutors to share any potentially exculpatory (evidence that could clear a person of any guilt) or impeaching evidence with defendants, a responsibility established by the US Supreme Court in its 1963 ruling in Brady v. Maryland…