January 27, 2000
Web posted at: 12:36 a.m. EST (0536 GMT)

From Correspondent Charles Feldman

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- A former Los Angeles Police Department officer has identified 99 individuals --involved in 57 cases -- whose convictions were wrongly obtained, according to LAPD Police Chief Bernard Parks.

Parks said the cases were uncovered during an internal investigation involving allegedly corrupt LAPD officers. So far, 21 convictions have been overturned -- 10 on Tuesday alone -- in the wake of the growing scandal.

Parks said the 99 figure includes some of the 21 convictions already made public.

VIDEO A review of the scandal, from CNN's Charles Feldman. (January 27) Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD Crime and punishment

The former officer, Rafael Perez, as part of a plea deal to lighten his own sentence for stealing cocaine from a police evidence locker, has implicated himself and others in crimes ranging from planting evidence to shooting unarmed suspects.

So far, at least 20 officers have been placed under investigation and the the police department has recommended that the Los Angeles County District Attorney bring criminal charges against at least three of them.

More than 1,500 -- some say as many as 4,000 cases -- are currently being reviewed.

On Tuesday, the district attorney said in the next few weeks he may seek the setting aside of as many as three dozen cases, but that was before the latest development.

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