Prosecutor: Video Shows Officers Taking Drugs, Money

INDIANAPOLIS -- Undercover video that prosecutors allege shows three former Indianapolis police officers breaking into a home and taking drugs and money was made public on Monday.

Federal court Judge Larry McKinney released the FBI video as part of the trial of Robert Long, 35, and Jason Edwards, 38, 6News' Derrik Thomas reported.

The former narcotics officers face conspiracy, drug and firearms charges.

Fellow ex-officer James Davis was also accused in the scheme, but accepted a plea deal earlier this year, in exchange for his testimony against Long and Edwards.

Prosecutors say the 17-minute video shows all three men breaking into a home in the 2200 block of Kenwood Avenue in June 2008. The then-officers took five pounds of marijuana and $18,300 from a closet in the home, prosecutors said.

But the defense had a different interpretation of the events shown on the tape.

"They show three people going into a residence. They show three people carrying things out of a residence. It doesn't show them carrying money, or drugs. It shows them carrying something," said Ralph Staples, Long's attorney. "This is the government's problem, not ours. They have to show beyond a reasonable doubt certain things."

Prosecutors also introduced audiotapes on which they say Long can be heard talking to an undercover investigator from Arizona last spring about a 50-pound package of drugs that ended up being only 20 pounds when it ended up in the police property room.

Long's cousin, Kabec Higgins, is expected to testify that he sold the drugs that the former officers are accused of stealing.

Marion County's chief narcotics prosecutor had to dismiss 20 criminal cases because of alleged misdeeds by the officers.

Long, Edwards and Davis all resigned last June.