People may have the idea that lab testing in criminal cases approximates what it looks like on CSI: shiny and flawless, with DNA tests and DWI blood tests performed soundly every time. In reality, this is not the case. Labs across the state have been mired in controversy. As I wrote about recently, testing delays in drug cases in Houston have resulted in more than 20 false convictions, with significant payouts going to the exonerated.
Now, it comes out, rogue lab technicians and faulty procedures have forced crime labs in Houston and San Antonio to retest hundreds of samples, including on cases that have already resulted in convictions. These counties have been forced to expend significant resources to try to fix the problem. These resources include retesting, retrying cases, and compensation for wrongly convicted.
San Antonio Lab Forced to Retest Hundreds of DWI Blood Samples
One crime lab analyst working up cases for Bexar County incorrectly matched the names and samples of 350 DWI blood tests. The lab, Integrated Forensic Laboratories, fired the analyst. According to an article in the San Antonio Express News, this same person was reprimanded just last year for screwing up hundreds of names and blood samples. In DWI cases across the state, blood tests have become the standard. The results of a blood test in a DWI case can mean the difference between a class A or B misdemeanor, or even a felony.
The Houston Crime Lab has been a Nightmare
The Houston crime lab has been plagued by multiple incidents of analyst misconduct. A few weeks ago, a Houston DNA lab tech resigned after an internal investigation which revealed lying, bad procedure, and tampering with records. This analyst worked on 185 criminal cases, including 51 murders and capital murders. This incident followed an internal investigation in April which resulted in an employee who handling criminal cases being fired for failure to follow procedures.
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