Over 650 investigative cases affected by DNA analyst’s data manipulation

[KLAW Blog]

652 cases between 2008 and 2023 are affected. 

Cases before that are still under review.

 A former DNA analyst with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) manipulated DNA results and “cut corners” – and as a result, all of her work at the agency over nearly 30 years has been called into question.

Those findings emerged from an internal affairs investigation that commenced in September and pertained to Yvonne “Missy” Woods, a devoted employee who has served the CBI faithfully for 29 years. This announcement was made by the agency on Friday.

and yet another Colorado lab

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office fired a DNA analyst, who worked at a local lab for over 10 years, after an investigation found “anomalies” in her work. FOX31’s Talya Cunningham hears from a legal expert about what this could mean for the cases involved.

Meanwhile back at the ranch….

Thousands of Criminal Cases in New York Relied on Disputed DNA Testing Techniques

New York City’s crime lab has been a pioneer nationally in analyzing especially difficult DNA samples. But the recent disclosure of the source code for its proprietary software is raising new questions about accuracy.

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Lab creates fake DNA evidence

Unlike finicky fingerprints and frowned-upon fiber analysis, DNA evidence has been the most bulletproof evidence for forensic sciences in recent years. But staffers at a research firm in Israel have recently upended the presumed infallibility of this forensics golden child—by making it themselves. Nucleix, a Tel-Aviv-based life sciences company, was able to create credible DNA evidence that could be used to finger the wrong person, proof that even genetic evidence can be manipulated (beyond planting a hair or used cigarette) just like other physical traces. “You can just engineer a crime scene,” 

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Drug-Testing Company Used in Child Custody Cases Investigated for Fraud

The DOJ investigated Averhealth, emails reviewed by VICE News show, after the company’s ex-lab director testified up to 30 percent of its results in Michigan were wrong.

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Drug felonies without credible proof? — Allegations of politicking in state police crime labs

First on FOX 17, we broke serious allegations that state police crime labs are being told to falsely report marijuana test results. This is resulting in misleading lab reports that an attorney claims creates felonies without real proof.

Attorney Michael Komorn believes a recent policy change in the way Michigan State Police forensic science crime labs report marijuana may have led to years of wrongful convictions.
Komorn called this a “perversion of science,” and “crime labs turned crime factories:” accusations that politics are trumping forensic science by escalating misdemeanor marijuana charges into felonies without proof.

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More than 3,000 cases may have been impacted by inaccuracy of MSP’s marijuana testing

(WXYZ) — The Michigan State Police say more than three thousand cases involving alleged marijuana impairment could have been false positives. Last week, the MSP Forensic Science Division announced they were halting all testing of marijuana drug samples due to the possibility that the tests were positive for CBD, rather than just THC. The state police warned prosecutors not to rely on the THC toxicology results until they could learn more about the alleged problems in the testing.

THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana. CBD is a chemical found in marijuana that does not produce a high, and CBD has not been considered a controlled substance in Michigan since March 28, 2019.

Read More Here

Attorney Michael Komorn

State / Federal Legal Defense

With extensive experience in criminal legal defense since 1993 from pre-arrest, District, Circuit, Appeals, Supreme and the Federal court systems.

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