Houston's Crime Labs--Not off the Hook
IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, members of the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice (including Barry Scheck, co-director of the Innocence Project) "sparred with the police chief and district attorney over issues that included the advisability of a moratorium on executions, the pace of reform and the openness of laboratory operations."
Mr. Whitmire (Democrat Senator of Houston and the chamber's longest-serving member) said that when the Legislature convened next week he would consider creating a state agency to independently investigate charges of misconduct at laboratories. Under the Justice for All Act signed in October, no state can receive federal forensic science grants without such an agency. If it acts this year, Texas would be one of the first, officials said.
Posted by katherine at 06:19 PM
