The phrase “don’t mess with Texas” surely is true. The state’s Department of Public Safety Forensic Science Commission’s new stance on crime lab DNA mixture outcomes surely is going to bounce around the county like a flash bang grenade.

More comments from Dallas of opinions that the DNA game may be turning towards a much less robust outcome leaving prosecutors relying more on circumstantial evidence to bolster much weaker assurances that DNA is the “smoking gun” for conviction.

This sea change within the forensic community parallels what happened in Washington DC crime lab where prosecutors and politicians slammed its now ex-crime lab director Max Houck for promoting a similar conservative approach due to subjective and sometimes conflicting DNA examiner’s opinions when mixed blood samples are recovered from a crime scene.

From the WFAA (with video)

Past WaPo news reports about the DC crime lab DNA mixture dust-up.

A crime lab  accreditor suspends all DNA testing 

DC mayor orders audit of DC crime lab 

DC Prosecutors go after crime lab director