COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Detectives and lawyers from the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office have been reviewing hundreds of cases involving a Columbus Police detective facing dereliction of duty charges.

Some of Det. Amy Welsh’s cases put confessed murderers behind bars.

While another let a suspect connected to a sex assault through DNA evidence remain free.

Nine of Welsh’s cases have been re-examined. Some of those cases have already been tried, while others are still being investigated.

It’s unlikely Welsh’s involvement will free anyone already found guilty, and it’s too soon to say whether anything will change in her cases not yet tried.

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“It’s certainly bad from a law enforcement perspective and thus it’s bad for the citizens,” said attorney Sam Shamansky.

Shamansky may represent the suspects typically on the wrong side of the law, but he said, “Most CPD, almost all CPD detectives, especially in the homicide division, are veterans, they’re first class, they’re honest, they work their tails off and they get results.”

Because of that, and based on his 35 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer, he said it’s rare that a detective like Welsh – herself a 24-year-veteran who was involved in hundreds of cases – faces dereliction of duty charges, which is already affecting multiple cases.

Less than two weeks ago, interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlin and Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced Welsh had been relieved of duty for allegedly mishandling evidence and hundreds of cases were being reviewed.

In one instance – Quinlin said surveillance video that would’ve led to the arrest of a kidnapping suspect was never even looked at.

In another – an internal review found a rape kit returned a suspect match from the FBI’s combined DNA index system – or CODIS – but Welsh did nothing to follow up.

“Anything that’s changing substantially in any of the cases that she had involvement with? Only the indictment of some people on some CODIS hits because the CODIS hits were in her desk and not worked several years after the hit had occurred,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien confirms nine homicide cases Welsh had involvement in have also been reviewed.

What happens in those instances, according to Shamansky, depends on what role Welsh played in each.

“What was their involvement? What evidence did they gather or not gather? Because, remember, not gathering can be just as important as gathering,” Shamansky said.

Welsh is represented by attorney Mark Collins, who often represents police officers. Collins did not want to go on camera, only offering the following comment.

“It’s just too early at this point in time to make a comment on any of those cases.”