Human integrity. All forensic science boils down to human integrity. Here is a story of allegations of a failure of both human integrity and also of a quality assurance as well as evidence integrity policies, protocols, and procedures. (Remember, all people even Joseph Graves is presumed innocent.)

Where is the indictment of the laboratory? 

Were there no other employees there? Where were the supervisors?

There won’t be any as this is yet another in a long line of BS excuses I call the The Rogue Chemist Excuse.

See also:

• Why don’t crime laboratories lose their accreditation more often?
• The Rogue Chemist Excuse: Just as real as the boogie man in the closet.
• Another failure of Quality Assurance in a Crime Laboratory that is framed as a bad analyst acting alone
• Yet another crime lab scandal – the real question is how many failures until they get caught and when is enough enough?
• The Forensic Lab Worker Retirement Plan Again: Screw up Tests, Skip Steps…. Retirement Life
• The poster child for everything that is wrong in forensic science: Annie Dookhan
• Another crime laboratory in danger: US Army

Florida Crime-Lab Analyst Charged With Stealing Painkillers from Work

Joseph Graves Worked in Lab Testing Drugs as Evidence

Associated Press

Feb. 4, 2014 7:44 p.m. ET

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—A former Florida crime-lab analyst was arrested Tuesday and charged with stealing and selling painkillers and other drugs that he was supposed to be testing as evidence in criminal cases, the state law enforcement agency said.

Joseph Graves was arrested a day after he resigned from his position at a Florida Department of Law Enforcement lab in Pensacola.

The department began an investigation after the Escambia County Sheriff’s office discovered drug evidence was missing. A further look found other cases where painkillers were swapped out with nonprescription drugs.

Law enforcement department Commissioner Gerald Baily has said hundreds of drug cases may be compromised.

“The actions of Joseph Graves are disgraceful. FDLE is working with State Attorneys’ Offices statewide to ensure he is held accountable for his actions,” Bailey said in a news release.

Graves’ attorney didn’t immediately return a message for comment

Graves began working for the department in 2006 and has handled about 2,600 cases, most of which are drug related. The compromised cases could possibly affect 80 law enforcement agencies in 35 counties that had cases worked on by Graves.

The department is using agents from each of its offices to review all the cases handled by the chemist and has contacted state attorneys and law enforcement agencies across the state that have pending cases that could be compromised.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys reached Monday agreed that the thefts could create massive problems for courts and law enforcement agencies throughout Florida and could result in some convictions being thrown out and sentences reduced.

The department is reviewing its drug testing program to try to prevent something similar from happening. One idea may be to increase employee drug testing, Bailey said Saturday when announcing details of the investigation. Right now, employees are drug tested when they are hired, but not again unless they have reason to suspect they are abusing drugs.

—Associated Press writers Brendan Farrington and Melissa Nelson contributed to this article

—Copyright 2014 Associated Press