HPD crime lab analyst suspended for failing to secure (drug) evidence
KHOU-11 reports that there are new problems at the HPD Crime Lab:
There are more problems for the Houston Police Department crime lab. A criminalist for the troubled crime lab was suspended last week, accused of not properly securing evidence.
James K. Carpenter, who hired on at the crime lab about five years ago, worked in the controlled substance section of the crime lab. That is the section of the lab that analyzes, among other things, narcotics taken in as evidence.
Investigators would not specify what protocols Carpenter is accused of violating, but a department press statement said he was relieved of duty after he refused to give a formal statement and submit to a drug test.
Lab director Irma Rios said all of the cases Carpenter worked on in the last six months would be reviewed. That is about 200 narcotics cases HPD said.
It doesn't take much reading between the lines to conclude that Carpenter may have violated protocols by consuming the evidence rather than securing it.
The timing couldn't be worse for a crime lab trying to win back public confidence after recent scandals.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: Chronicle.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/07/07 11:54 PM | Houston Miscellany | Technorati | Sphere | Comments (14)
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