PUBLISHER'S NOTE: A previous post referred to a report which concluded that D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences has failed to live up to the ideals of an independent forensic science lab — one that is not situated within a law enforcement agency — that District lawmakers envisioned when they created the agency in 2011. It noted that the lab, which lost its accreditation to perform all forensic casework in 2021, has been unable to process evidence since then and has been outsourcing DNA, firearms and other evidence to outside labs.
Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "I urge the Council to pass this bill. But legislation alone is not enough. We need leaders at the agency who are committed to transparency and the necessary checks and balances that reflect the best practices of forensic labs. District residents deserve nothing less."
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Press Release: "AG Racine Statement on Council Vote on Bill to Reform DC’s Crime Lab," released bon December 6, 2022.
GIST: "Attorney General Karl A. Racine today issued the following statement after the Council held its first vote to pass legislation introduced by Councilmember Charles Allen to reform the Department of Forensic Sciences, the District’s crime lab.
The lab examines forensic evidence that is used in criminal cases by prosecutors and defense attorneys, including the Office of the Attorney General, to ensure the integrity of evidence.
“The Department of Forensic Sciences’ failures are, sadly, the most significant of a forensic lab in the history of the United States. The severe and wide-reaching challenges at the lab have been called out by our office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Public Defender Service, DC Superior Court judges, and significantly, the independent accrediting body for forensic labs.
For our justice system to function, the public must have confidence that police, prosecutors, and forensic experts are operating with integrity.
But that cannot happen when the lab faces poor management, inaccurate scientific testing, and efforts to coverup its failures. To fix these problems, it requires fundamental change,” said AG Racine.
“The first vote on this bill – and its passage – is a needed and encouraging step toward having a well-managed, independent lab that can restore the integrity of scientific testing and results in the District’s criminal cases, support public safety for all residents, and be a steward of taxpayer dollars.
To help accomplish those goals, the bill would ensure the Council has more direct and ongoing oversight of the lab and empower the Science Advisory and Review Board.
I urge the Council to pass this bill. But legislation alone is not enough. We need leaders at the agency who are committed to transparency and the necessary checks and balances that reflect the best practices of forensic labs. District residents deserve nothing less.""
The entire release can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resurce. 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/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;
SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
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