Here we go with some real forensic news. Not the befuddled repartee from Jeff Sessions loving handwriting analysis and other police ‘forensics’ like bitemarks.
Texas crime-scene errors put 65 cases under review, audit finds:
Dozens of criminal prosecutions could be in jeopardy after errors by a Houston crime-scene investigator raised questions about key evidence in cases that include 26 homicides, five officer-involved shootings and six child deaths since 2015.
The revelations Wednesday in a crime lab audit sent prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office scrambling to untangle the possible problems, first with a blanket notification to criminal defense attorneys and then a public statement.
“Any deficiencies in the collection of evidence at a crime scene are extremely disturbing and important,” said David Mitcham, the trial bureau chief of the DA’s office. “It’s not minor. It can create problems of proof later in a court of law.”
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/New-evidence-problems-raise-questions-in-65-11068118.php
Houston Police says this is all a witch hunt against their officers ‘collecting’ for the Houston Crime Lab. A major turf war is going on over who controls the forensic lab. Sounds a bit like AG Sessions vs the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and other forensic reform advocates.
http://abc13.com/news/das-office-investigator-made-errors-in-65-cases/1864444/
Thanks to joe