A lab-tech wreck for the NYPD

NY Post ^ | May 11, 2010 | MURRAY WEISS and DAN MANGAN

[Shimmer1]

A technician in the NYPD's forensics lab has been suspended for allegedly falsifying drug-test results, throwing into question "maybe thousands" of criminal cases -- and prompting a panicked meeting yesterday between cops and the city district attorneys.
A Bronx drug trial was even abruptly halted last week because the longtime lab technician, Mariem Megalla, was supposed to testify in that case, sources told The Post.
The NYPD last week sent out an emergency e-mail to the city's five DAs warning them about the evidence disaster and telling them to examine pending felony case files for evidence tested by her. In all such cases, the NYPD wrote, the evidence will need to be retested to make sure the results are accurate.

[Shimmer1]

To think we might be convicted based on false testing. Scary!!!

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Don’t defense attorneys have means to seek independent tests? Do any of them make a practice to verify the DA’s claims. How many lawsuits will we see against defense attorneys who neglected to verify the states evidence?Crickets.

[momincombatboots]

Hey.. a job opening. LOL.. wait its NY. darn!

[PowderMonkey]

Calls to mind my military induction physical. Drug testing required us to provide a urine sample. About 20 of us in a room standing at a long stainless steel trough filled our little sample cups, and placed them on a collection table with what seemed like hundreds of others. Somebody fell against the table, and urine filled Dixie cups went everywhere. No problem. A Corpsman entered the room and quickly started scooping urine from the floor, and pouring one cup into another until samples were returned to proper levels. Problem solved.

[Sudetenland]

Another reason to legalize. How many innocents were convicted by falsified testing? How many guilty released?

One thing for certain, if she actually did this, she needs to be made example of . . . maximum possible sentence - no parole, no pension, no nothing.

[Nepeta]

I've worked in labs for decades. For the last 15 years or so, increasingly I see people willing to falsify data or otherwise "drylab" their way through work. They seem unconcerned with creating falsehoods, or with the possible dire results of their sloth/sloppiness. The other thing I see frequently is the tendency to accept instrumental results blindly because people don't understand how the instrument works or what implausible results look like. My supervisor (!!!) at one job who held the title of Technical Director, spoke of "right answers" (!!!), not results!

Alas, there is a lot of incompetence out there.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“To think we might be convicted based on false testing. Scary!!!”

More frequent than you might think. These labs are the beck and call girls of the police. Remember CSI is just a TV show not reality.

[Tammy8]

Most defendants don’t have the money to pay for independent testing. In most cases you only get the justice you can afford.