Clarke's Very Good Question

The JS has been running a series on a dirtball named Lock.

Seems that Lock was under investigation a long time ago--but that investigation was terminated.

The Milwaukee County drug unit began a case on Lock in 1999, led by sheriff's Detective Daniel Ornelas. A secret John Doe court proceeding, reserved for the biggest cases, was convened to aid the investigation. Authorities worried that Lock, who had relatives on the Milwaukee Police Department, might otherwise get tipped off.

Investigators learned Lock was moving 10 pounds of cocaine a week and laundering hundreds of thousands through legitimate-looking businesses. But they shut down the investigation in 2001. It would be six more years before Lock was charged with a long list of offenses, including homicides from 1999 and 2000.

[The lead investigator] Ornelas said he was ordered off the drug unit and told to close any open cases, including Lock's. He said he doesn't know who made that decision.

Clarke, who became sheriff in 2002, said he will inquire about who decided to close the Lock matter.

"There are obviously some things here that raise legitimate questions," Clarke said.

No kidding!