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2 LAPD Officers Convicted Of Perjury In Drug Case

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — Two ex-Los Angeles Police Department officers Tuesday were convicted of perjury and other charges related to lying under oath in a 2008 drug case.

Former Officer Evan Samuel was convicted of three counts of perjury and Officer Richard Amio was convicted of two counts of perjury, among other charges. A jury deadlocked on charges against a third officer.

Amio and Samuel testified they chased Guillermo Alarcon Jr. into his Hollywood apartment in 2007 and saw him immediately toss a black object that contained cocaine.

Alarcon was booked and charged for two narcotics felonies, which included the possession of cocaine.

"I've never had nothing in my possession. I don't deal drugs.  I work two jobs," Alarcon told KCAL9's Suraya Fadel.

A surveillance tape at the apartment complex ended up clearing Alarcon.

It showed four officers searching the area for more than 20 minutes before finding the drugs.

"I have never gotten an apology," said Alarcon.

Luis Carillo, Alarcon's lawyer, said, "Without that video, an innocent man would have been sent to state prison."

The officers denied wrongdoing and their attorney said they had testified truthfully to the best of their ability.

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck released this statement about the verdict:

"I do not believe their intent was evil, just extremely misguided. These actions were entirely unacceptable."

Samuel and Amio are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 12.

The third officer involved in the incident will face a retrial.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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