San Francisco Crime Lab Closure Leads To 180 Cases Dismissed

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 180 narcotic cases have been dropped by San Francisco prosecutors since a San Francisco Police Department crime lab scandal recently became public. The crime lab has been closed since March 9th. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office has stated that more cases will be dismissed unless and until the drugs seized can be tested by a different source.

Apparently, a criminalist employed at the crime lab is suspected of possibly taking cocaine from the crime lab.

It was reported that the criminalist’s sister contacted a lab supervisor on December 16, 2009, and reported that she saw what appeared to be a police vial of cocaine inside the criminalist’s home.