Posted on 05/13/2010 5:53:25 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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.
Hey.. a job opening. LOL.. wait its NY. darn!
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.
“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.
Most defendants don’t have the money to pay for independent testing. In most cases you only get the justice you can afford.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.