Valley Crime Lab Investigation

Donald Segerstrom

Enlarge

Ripon, CA -- There is a criminal investigation into a California Department of Justice Crime Lab in Ripon.

The state Department of Justice says there are weight discrepancies related to methamphetamine at the Justice's Bureau of Forensic Services Central Valley Crime lab. 

One employee at the lab has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome.

The lab is utilized by the counties of Tuolumne, Calaveras, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin.

District Attorney's of the five counties were briefed this morning about the matter. They agree to begin a thorough review of all cases handled by the analyst in question dating back to 2006, and have pledged to begin notifying defendants affected in those cases.

"As prosecutors, we have an ethical obligation to disclose to the defense attorney any potentially exculpatory evidence," says Donald Segerstrom, Tuolumne County District Attorney. "We are doing our utmost to comply with that ethical obligation."

The investigation into the crime lab was initiated by the state earlier this month. Officials found that some of the methamphetamine handled by the analyst in question weighed less than when it first arrived to the facility.

Written by bjhansen@mlode.com.