Government

Whitaker and Mon Ethos Scandal Sparks Urgent Call for Transparency in V.I. Criminal Cases

The Office of the Territorial Public Defender (OTPD) is calling for immediate disclosure from local law enforcement and the V.I. Department of Justice in light of recent revelations surrounding David Whitaker, the former head of the Office of Data Discovery and Forensic Analysis (ODDFA) and Mon Ethos entities, who has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and bribery charges. The OTPD is urging the V.I. DOJ to release information on all criminal prosecutions that involved ODDFA, Mon Ethos entities, or any other organizations led by Whitaker. These entities were responsible for handling crucial evidence in various cases, some of which now may be called into question due to Whitaker’s criminal actions. Chief Territorial Public Defender Julie S. Todman expressed serious concerns regarding the integrity of evidence in these cases. "Virgin Islanders have been and continue to be prosecuted by evidence that was being held in trust by this now-admitted criminal, and the OTPD demands identific...