Drug Samples to be Retested After St. Paul Crime Lab Issues

In a joint statement the county attorneys in Ramsey, Washington and Dakota Counties ordered the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to retest all samples in pending cases previously tested by the St. Paul Police Department Crime Lab.

This comes after a legal review of the St. Paul Crime Lab showed serious deficiencies in the way the lab conducts its testing of evidence in drug cases.

According to the statement, the St. Paul Police Department has agreed to pay for any overtime costs associated with the retesting process by the BCA.

Priority for retesting will be given to people who are currently in custody. After that, priority will be based on the level of offense, and the date of offense. 

If retesting is not available in a case due to a lack of the sample of the substance, a reduced drug paraphernalia charge will be pursued or the case will be dismissed.

The statement says, although there are a lack of policies and procedures in the lab's drug testing process, it's unclear if there was a widespread misidentification of substances believed to be illegal drugs.

Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties will no longer send drug cases to the St. Paul Crime Lab.

 

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