Faulty DNA Tests Were Used In Thousands of L.A. Criminal Cases

The manufacturer of DNA testing kits has notified the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, that many kits used in criminal cases were likely defective. Los Angeles County will now retest approximately 4,000 DNA samples connected to criminal cases, as the defective kits could lead to incomplete or inaccurate results. Defective DNA tests can also delay investigations and sometimes, even implicate innocent people. In the past, human errors have also led to major mistakes involving DNA evidence in criminal cases. The faulty test kits call attention to the lack of regulation when it comes to DNA testing in criminal cases. To date, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has not named the testing kit manufacturer.