Prosecutors in Minn. offering deals due to crime lab mistakes - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Prosecutors in Minn. offering deals due to crime lab mistakes

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By Amie Winters - bio | email

 

STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) -- Washington County prosecutors have offered deals to about 160 drug defendants because of substandard work at the St. Paul police crime lab.

County attorney Pete Orput says the cases are possibly tainted by work at the lab that has recently been criticized for its lack of scientific guidelines, written procedures and inadequate training.

Orput tells the Star Tribune many of the cases involve possession of small amounts of drugs. He says plea bargain settlements have been reached on about a third of the cases. Orput plans to meet with prosecutors from Ramsey and Dakota counties Wednesday to discuss cases that could be affected by possible crime lab mistakes.

 

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