The Justice Project
On Wednesday, September 27, the City Council in Houston approved an additional $1.5 million for the independent investigation of the city's police crime lab. Due to a lack of funds, the probe into Houston's Crime Lab had been on hold since June. The lab was shut down in December 2002 when serious, systemic errors in forensic evidence analyses were uncovered and was not reopened until July 3, 2006 (see previous updates). The Houston Crime Lab is currently working with a temporary one-year accreditation from The American Society of Crime Lab Directors.
Since March 2005, an independent investigation led by Michael Bromwich has reviewed approximately 2,300 cases, going as far back as 1980. Of these cases, 93 have been identified by the investigators as containing "major issues," inviting more speculation about the lab's accuracy. The investigation also uncovered a "disturbing and pervasive pattern" in which analysts did not release findings that could have exonerated defendants, including three men now awaiting execution.
The requests for extra funds came after scientists expanded the investigation to further examine the problems in cases that involved serology tests (blood-typing analysis). Council members' requests for investigators to propose ways to avoid future problems also increased the cost and project time frame. The total cost of the investigation has now reached $5.3 million.
In 2005, the Texas Legislature took substantial steps forward in the area of forensic laboratory reform by creating independent, expert oversight for Texas crime labs in the form of the new Texas Forensic Science Commission. Appointments to the commission were finalized in early 2006, and the commission is empowered to review and investigate problems and make recommendations for corrective action; however, the commission has not yet been funded by the legislature, and therefore, has not started work. The Justice Project supports full funding of this important commission and will be working in Texas to make it a reality in the coming legislative session.
On Wednesday, September 27, the City Council in Houston approved an additional $1.5 million for the independent investigation of the city's police crime lab. Due to a lack of funds, the probe into Houston's Crime Lab had been on hold since June. The lab was shut down in December 2002 when serious, systemic errors in forensic evidence analyses were uncovered and was not reopened until July 3, 2006 (see previous updates). The Houston Crime Lab is currently working with a temporary one-year accreditation from The American Society of Crime Lab Directors.
Since March 2005, an independent investigation led by Michael Bromwich has reviewed approximately 2,300 cases, going as far back as 1980. Of these cases, 93 have been identified by the investigators as containing "major issues," inviting more speculation about the lab's accuracy. The investigation also uncovered a "disturbing and pervasive pattern" in which analysts did not release findings that could have exonerated defendants, including three men now awaiting execution.
The requests for extra funds came after scientists expanded the investigation to further examine the problems in cases that involved serology tests (blood-typing analysis). Council members' requests for investigators to propose ways to avoid future problems also increased the cost and project time frame. The total cost of the investigation has now reached $5.3 million.
In 2005, the Texas Legislature took substantial steps forward in the area of forensic laboratory reform by creating independent, expert oversight for Texas crime labs in the form of the new Texas Forensic Science Commission. Appointments to the commission were finalized in early 2006, and the commission is empowered to review and investigate problems and make recommendations for corrective action; however, the commission has not yet been funded by the legislature, and therefore, has not started work. The Justice Project supports full funding of this important commission and will be working in Texas to make it a reality in the coming legislative session.
technorati tags: Death+Penalty, Capital+Punishment, Texas, Forensics
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