KTRK-13’s Ted Oberg reports that the analyst who remained employed by the HPD crime lab after faking test results has finally resigned:
One analyst resigned instead of being fired. The second analyst was reprimanded in writing, suspended for three days and put back in the lab, where today he is suspended, but still collects a paycheck. His 7,660 cases are being reviewed to see if there are other false results.
“The first thing I’d like to see y’all do is get rid of that person,” said Houston city councilmember Ada Edwards.
Councilmember Edwards got her wish late Monday afternoon. The analyst left the department.
“Today, Mr. Patel resigned from the Houston Police Department,” said Chief Hurtt Monday. “He was neither asked, nor approached by the department in reaching his decision. What we need to concentrate on is what would be good for the Houston Police Department, the citizens of Houston, and our role in the criminal justice system in the future.”
The chief knows this won’t be easy to get over in the short term, but he and Bromwich both expressed that they hope it recovers in the long run. All of this was discovered during former Police Chief CO Bradford’s administration. On Monday, he wouldn’t answer any of our questions about it. As for a criminal fraud prosecution of the analyst, it’s too late, says DA Chuck Rosenthal. The statute of limitations has expired.
Patel was neither asked nor approached by the department? Why not?
It’s not surprising that former Chief Bradford doesn’t want to answer questions about the level of ineptitude that permeated the crime lab while he was chief and Lee P. Brown was mayor. Unfortunately, they weren’t held to account by local media — especially the Chronicle editorial board — even when they were still public officials.
PREVIOUSLY: Report details more problems with HPD crime lab (bH), Crime lab investigator moves to next phase (bH).
