Gov forms work group to review OSP crime-lab policies

Gov. Kate Brown announced Friday that at the request of Oregon State Police Superintendent Rich Evans, she’s formed a work group to evaluate the practices and procedures followed by the OSP Crime Lab, “based upon the recent concerns raised by stakeholders.”

“The credibility of the criminal justice system is critical to Oregon’s citizens,” Brownsaid.”Superintendent Evans and I believe that an open review of the lab is appropriate under the circumstances. I am confident that the participants of this work group will give the issues full and open consideration, and make appropriate recommendations for the best ways to move forward.”

Brown has asked members of her general counsel’s office and policy staff toensure the group gets all of the information itrequests, and that appropriate parties are invited to present to the group.

The workgroup will be tasked with examining the recent allegations of tampering and identify any changes that need to be made.If statutory changes are required, the group will assist in having language drafted for the February 2016 legislative session.

The workgroup will be co-chaired by Senator Jackie Winters and House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson.

Additional members of the workgroup are:

Chuck French, retired Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney
Ernest Lannet, Chief Defender, Criminal Appellate Section, Office of Public Defense Services
Kevin Sali, defense attorney
Michael Slauson, Special Counsel on Public Safety to Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum
John Teague, Chief of Keizer Police Department

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel commended the governor for the step.

“Kudos to Governor Brown for creating a workgroup to review OSP lab operations,” he said. “The public deserves to have confidence in their law enforcement agencies and officers. I trust the workgroup members will work hard to ensure this result.”

Hummel said Thursday the Oregon Department of Justice will assist OSP in the investigation into an OSP forensic analyst at the agency’s Bend crime lab who is suspected of tampering with evidence, including “skimming” drugs and replacing the evidence with over-the-counter medications.

“The investigation is on such a large scale that it’s going to be good to have an outside agency, not just the Oregon State Police, conduct the investigation,” Hummel said.

On Tuesday, Hummel met with officials from the Oregon DOJ and several district attorneys from across the state. The crime lab in Bend also will be audited by the secretary of state’s office, which according to OSP public information officer Bill Fugate is a normal procedure.

“We invited the Department of Justice to assist us in this investigation, but we are still the lead investigator,” Fugate said.

On Thursday, Hummel met with representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and OSP.

He is still seeking a federal investigation but said a state audit might be sufficient.

“I have to learn about that audit, the scope of it,” Hummel said. “That determines whether I’m comfortable with it. It might be that I am.”

Hummel said there would be pros and cons to a federal investigation. A local investigation might be faster, since witnesses could be interviewed quicker.

However, “a con of proceeding locally — it would be in multiple jurisdictions,” Hummel said. “You would have a trial in Deschutes County. You would have a trial in Umatilla County.” And several others.

As the investigation progresses, Hummel is still going though 502 cases in Deschutes County the analyst was involved in the evidence for, 27 of which are still active. He said most of them were drug cases.

“Unfortunately, what I feared the most was that we might have a sexual assault case, and we see at least one sexual assault case,” Hummel said.