The FBI admitted that, for over 20 years, it gave flawed hair sample testimony in hundreds of trials, reports the Washington Post. Ninety-five percent of the testimonies were skewed to favor prosecutors.
From a review of of 342 cases, it was found that 268 cases used hair evidence provided by the FBI. Of those 268 trials, 257 trials had flawed hair testimony. About 1200 cases have not yet been investigated. In 700 of those cases, police or prosectors have not responded to requests for more information.
Thirty two defendants in these flawed evidence trials were sentenced to death, and 14 of the defendants have either been executed or died in prison.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said it best: "These findings are appalling and chilling in their indictment of our criminal justice system, not only for potentially innocent defendants who have been wrongly imprisoned and even executed, but for prosecutors who have relied on fabricated and false evidence despite their intentions to faithfully enforce the law."
