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Grand jury blasts Houston police DNA lab
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- A grand jury lambasted the Houston Police Department's DNA lab as incompetent and mismanaged but closed out its six-month investigation Thursday without indicting anyone. "There seemed to be a total lack of concern about profound errors committed by certain members of the lab's staff," grand jury member Joe King said as he read from a statement on behalf of the panel. "Although seemingly criminal, these acts do not meet the necessary requirements for indictment."
The DNA lab has been criticized in recent months because of sloppy work, and retesting of evidence led to the release of a man convicted of rape. Josiah Sutton was freed on bond in March and is seeking a pardon. He was convicted of rape and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 1999. The Police Department shut down the DNA section last December, and independent labs are retesting 370 cases. So far, the private labs have confirmed results in 46 cases and brought 21 other cases into question. The grand jury reviewed more than 1,000 felony cases and talked to 67 witnesses.
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