Forensic crime lab malpractice surfaces in Oregon
On 18 September, the Oregon State Police (OSP) announced it was investigating a forensic scientist, Nika Larsen, working at its Bend Crime Laboratory. She allegedly altered drug evidence. After Larsen came under suspicion in August, she was placed on administrative leave.
‘The evidence shows that she would take drugs and other items from the samples she was testing and replace them with over-the-counter drugs,’ says John Hummel, the district attorney (DA) for Deschutes County, Oregon.
Larsen analysed evidence in around 1500 criminal cases, 502 of which were in her jurisdiction, Hummel notes. ‘We will pull out the convictions and assess whether her analysis of the evidence impacted the results,’ he states. ‘If we think it did, then we will talk with defence counsel.’
Forensic misdeeds
Larsen has neither been arrested nor charged with a crime, but Hummel says his office has not completed its investigation. ‘We certainly see much evidence there to prove a crime,’ Hummel tells Chemistry World.
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http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2015/09/forensic-drug-crime-lab-malpractice-oregon
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