Va. crime lab stretched as experts called to court
December 24, 2009 | Virginia News
RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia's crime lab has fallen further behind in conducting drug and alcohol analyses as forensic examiners spend more time attending trials to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, officials say.
Travel and overtime costs also are on the rise, and the two most obvious solutions--hire more scientists or establish a system allowing them to testify by videoconference--are cost-prohibitive at a time when the state is trying to close a $3.6 billion budget shortfall.
The problem arose from the Supreme Court's June 25 ruling in favor of Luis Melendez-Diaz, who challenged a lab analysis that confirmed cocaine was in plastic bags found in the car in which he was riding. Massachusetts courts had rejected his claim that he should be allowed to question the lab scientist about testing methods and other issues.
