LACROSSE, Wis. – Police leaked information on the arrest of Keonte Turner to get even for his criticism of department practices and policies, his attorney said. In a feisty attack, attorney Christopher Zachar accused “members of the La Crosse Police Department” of knowing full well that Turner would not be charged criminally and went ahead anyway and approached the media with allegations. “The sole apparent goal was to damage the reputation of a public figure who had been critical of department practices and policies,” the attorney said. Fact check: There had been a police investigation since January, leading to Turner being cited May 10 on a charge of soliciting a prostitute. Media revelations based on police and court documents surfaced May 21. As Turner’s attorney, Zachar was plainly on offense against the police media leak: “Public confidence in law enforcement has diminished significantly in recent years, and releasing details of an unrelated, and ongoing, fraud investigation to damage a critic does not help to rehabilitate public trust in this department.”
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Christopher Zachar: “Mr. Turner is a respected public servant who continues to do good work in our community. He denied the allegations when interviewed by police, and is entitled to the presumption of innocence. An independent prosecutor has already reviewed the relevant reports, and determined that no criminal charges will be filed against Mr. Turner.”
Zachar. Attorney for Keonte Turner. Links prostitution accusation against Turner as retaliation for his criticism of police and a pending fraud investigation in the Police Department.