Metro orders review of 273 DNA cases

Friday, April 19, 2002 | 10:55 a.m.

Metro officials Thursday ordered an investigation into the testing of samples in Lazara Sotolusson's case and a review of all 273 prior cases where a DNA match was made by department crime lab DNA analysts.

"We are obviously taking this extremely seriously," Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said. "There was no problem with the scientific testing. The problem was typographical."

Flynn said he wants the review to be completed within four weeks.

Metro's crime lab has been conducting DNA tests since January 1997. A DNA lab manager and four analysts do the testing.

Flynn stressed there was no problem with the testing, but a typographical error switching the names on the samples. Flynn said the investigation of the past cases will not include retesting of samples, but a checking of the paperwork along with testing.

The internal investigation into the mistake on the DNA sample will determine "how the error was made, affix accountability and bring suggestions to put things in place to ensure this won't happen again," Flynn said.

The investigation will determine if it was a mistake or an issue of consciously not following protocols.

The director of Northwestern University's Medill Innocence Project said the science of DNA is not sound if the people behind it make mistakes or engage in what he called "white coat fraud."

"The science is only as good as the people behind it," said David Protess, a journalism professor at Northwestern who led a group of his students, private investigators and volunteer attorneys to prove five men were wrongfully convicted in two cases.

"DNA is a very powerful tool. It can exonerate the innocent and identify the guilty, but it is only as good as the people who test it," he said.

Protess points to what he calls "white coat fraud" of lab analysts who exaggerate their DNA testimony or testing.

He said he doesn't know about the Metro lab case but added that putting the wrong name on a sample "sounds like a royal screw-up."