NYC scientist fired after raising questions about a DNA test gets $1M settlement

Barry Scheck, a member of the state forensic panel and a criminal defense attorney known for his litigation on DNA technology, said that at a meeting of the State Commission on Forensic Science in October 2014, he had asked for a study proving that the method had been validated for use on extremely small genetic samples that contained DNA from more than one person, in conditions typical of a crime scene. Ms. Stajic voted with Mr. Scheck and another panel member, also a defense attorney, to compel the release of the study. Kevin Mintzer, one of Ms. Stajic’s attorneys, said that scientific data released in pretrial discovery in Ms. Stajic’s case showed that the study voted on during the panel meeting had never actually been done, proving her suspicions right.

Source: www.nytimes.com