Former HPD Crime Lab Worker To Appeal Firing
Ex-Police Chief Accused Analyst Of Sloppy Work, False Testimony
POSTED: Tuesday, January 27,
UPDATED: 7:38 am CST January 27,
2004
HOUSTON -- One of the analysts fired because of errors found at the Houston Police Department DNA crime lab is expected to appeal her case Tuesday.Former HPD Chief C.O. Bradford fired Christy Kim, accusing her of sloppy lab work and false testimony in at least one criminal trial.
Kim was fired in December because of a DNA test she performed in a rape case against a teenager that proved to be incorrect.The former DNA analyst's indefinite suspension came nine months after the teenager, Josiah Sutton, was released from prison when a retest of the DNA in his case by a private lab discredited Kim's work and excluded him as a suspect in a 1998 rape. He had been serving a 25-year sentence. He remains free on bond and is seeking a pardon.Kim testified during Sutton's trial that evidence from the crime scene was an exact match with Sutton's DNA. Sutton, who was 17 at the time he was convicted, was found guilty largely because of the weight of DNA evidence.Kim is the first from the department to be fired since DNA testing was suspended last year. Two high-ranking department supervisors resigned in June.The crime lab worker has repeatedly said that poor management and departmental flaws, which left analysts unaware of the latest technology, are to blame for problems with testing.She was one of six employees who had reported crime lab problems to Bradford in 1999.
Copyright 2004 by Click2Houston.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Kim was fired in December because of a DNA test she performed in a rape case against a teenager that proved to be incorrect.The former DNA analyst's indefinite suspension came nine months after the teenager, Josiah Sutton, was released from prison when a retest of the DNA in his case by a private lab discredited Kim's work and excluded him as a suspect in a 1998 rape. He had been serving a 25-year sentence. He remains free on bond and is seeking a pardon.Kim testified during Sutton's trial that evidence from the crime scene was an exact match with Sutton's DNA. Sutton, who was 17 at the time he was convicted, was found guilty largely because of the weight of DNA evidence.Kim is the first from the department to be fired since DNA testing was suspended last year. Two high-ranking department supervisors resigned in June.The crime lab worker has repeatedly said that poor management and departmental flaws, which left analysts unaware of the latest technology, are to blame for problems with testing.She was one of six employees who had reported crime lab problems to Bradford in 1999.
Previous Stories:
October 17, 2003: Lawmakers Hold Hearing Over Crime Lab Mistakes
October 17, 2003: Grand Jury: HPD Crime Lab Should Be Embarrassed- September 24, 2003: HPD DNA Analysts Speak Publicly About Lab
- June 27, 2003: Pardon Recommended For Man Falsely Convicted By DNA Test
- June 25, 2003: Council Delays Police Chief's Plan To Fix Crime Lab
- June 12, 2003: 9 Employees Disciplined Over DNA Lab
- March 12, 2003: Judge Releases Inmate After DNA Mistake Uncovered
- March 6, 2003: Lawmakers Examine HPD Crime Lab
- March 6, 2003: Lawmakers To Hear About Houston DNA Lab Problems
Copyright 2004 by Click2Houston.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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