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"Reformers have for years recommended that all forensic labs be independent from law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies' and this is a key reform promoted by The Justice Project (2008). But fixing these problems is only half the answer' because half of the wrongful convictions attributed to misleading forensic evidence involved deliberate forensic fraud' evidence tampering' and/or perjury.
From "The Elephant in the Crime Lab," by co-authored by Sheila Berry and Larry Ytuarte; Forensic Examiner; Spring, 2009; http://www.t-mlaw.com/blog/post/the-elephant-in-the-crime-lab/
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STORY: "Former TPS employee accused of illegal searches of two soon-to-be homicide victims," by reporter Wendy Gillis, published by The Toronto Star on November 13, 2016."
PHOTO CAPTION: "Erin Jade Maranan, a former Toronto police civilian employee now facing 20 charges of breach of trust is alleged to have searched police databases for information on two people who were later murdered."
PHOTO CAPTION: "Seven months after Erin Maranan allegedly searched for information on Victor Oliveira ...he was shot and killed on Oct. 17, 2015."
GIST: "The former Toronto police civilian employee charged with 20 counts of breach of trust is alleged to have searched police databases for information on two people who were, months later, murdered — gunned down in separate shootings. Erin Jade Maranan, 28, faces 24 criminal charges, the majority related to illegal searches of Toronto police files. Police allege Maranan, who had three years’ of service with Toronto police, made a slew of illegal database searches between February 2014 and June 2015 while she was a temporary civilian clerk in the Forensic Identification Service. Her charges solely relate to allegedly accessing information without authorization. She is not charged in connection to either homicide. Generally, police employees have access to a range of information about specific individuals they search, including their criminal history, address and vehicle information, known associates and photos of the person they are searching. Court documents show Maranan is accused of searching for information on 16 people, including convicted or wanted criminals and two men who would later become homicide victims. In February 2015, Maranan is alleged to have searched for information on Ly Duy Nguyen and Victor Oliveira — two men who were gunned down in separate shootings seven months later. In September, a Duy Ly Nguyen was gunned down in a brazen midday execution in a Vancouver shopping mall that police said was gang-related. The Vancouver Sun reported at the time that he was known to police in Ontario, had only recently arrived in B.C., and is believed to have had gang ties. Three weeks after Nguyen’s death, a Victor Oliveira was gunned down outside an Etobicoke Lonestar restaurant on October 17, 2015. No arrests have been made in either homicide. Toronto and Vancouver police both declined to comment on any connection between Maranan’s searches and the men’s deaths, citing the ongoing investigations into both cases.........Among the other names Maranan is alleged to have searched: Elijah Roberts, a Toronto man currently serving a seven-year sentence for assault and weapons charges; Anthony Marentic, who was convicted of multiple drug and weapons charges following an investigation by the RCMP’s GTA Serious and Organized Crime Team; and Milos Antic, who in February was listed among Halton Regional Police’s fugitives, wanted for uttering threats. Maranan is one of two Toronto police civilian employees charged with Breach of Trust within a month. On October 31, Toronto police announced Davita Federico, formerly with the force’s Records Management Service, is facing one count of breach of trust and one count of unauthorized use of a computer. She is scheduled to appear in court next month."
The entire story can be found at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/
