CMPD crime lab analyst under investigation over ‘irregularities’ in tests, DA says
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police crime lab analyst is under criminal investigation after “procedural irregularities” were found in the analyst’s testing of biological evidence, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather said Wednesday.
A CMPD internal investigation is trying to determine the scope of the irregularities, according to a District Attorney’s Office news release.
And Merriweather asked the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to determine if the “suspected practice failures” violated criminal law.
CMPD officials notified the DA’s office about the suspected irregularities “in recent days,” Merriweather said in the news release.
“As we learn more, in the interest of justice, we will begin work to identify both pending and previously resolved cases that may be impacted by this discovery,” he said.
Prosecutors will notify defense attorneys if the tests involved defendants they represent, Merriweather said.
“These remedies are necessary because it remains the vision of this office to prioritize justice through integrity so that every person can place trust in our work.,” Merriweather said.
He did not release more details about what specifically the lab analyst is alleged to have done.
The lab analyst involved has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the investigation, CMPD said.
“Our commitment to accuracy identified a procedural error in a recent testing procedure conducted by a civilian analyst in our Crime Lab,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said in a statement. “During a senior analyst’s secondary review, an issue was discovered involving a deviation from the standard control sample protocols. We want to be clear: there was no manipulation of any evidence. The error only involved the control sample that was used to verify the test results.”
The lab is conducting a “comprehensive” review to make sure “all procedures have been consistently followed,” he added.
Reporter Ryan Oehrli contributed to this story.
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 1:01 PM.