Should Those Writing Lab Reports be Required to Testify

Should Writer of Lab Report testify

Exonerations have risen dramatically as Project Innocence groups have expanded
and new DNA testing has become available. Quite often the innocent was convicted
using unreliable eye witness accounts, jailhouse snitches whose testimony
became equivalent to a get out of jail soon key,or even defense counsel
without the resources to challenge evidence.

The United States Supreme Court granted cert
and heard oral arguments this week in a case that centers around
the 6th Amendment's confrontation clause. The issue before the court:
Must lab technicians be available
for cross-examination when states introduce drug, blood,
or other forensic reports at trial?

In the past few years major deficiencies in the laboratory work done in Dallas, Houston, and
other cities has been revealed and resulted in overturned convictions. In some instances
the technicians were not trained in the newest techniques and protocols. The examples
are numerous. By allowing cross-examination some problems may be revealed that
allow an innocent person to be acquitted because of faulty lab work. Fingerprint evidence
and gun casings have been the focus of recent scientific papers.

This is a case that should be watched carefully since its decision will effect criminal trials
across the county.