Errors found in state forensic scentist's work

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By Molly Shen

Summary

Evan Thompson was one of the state's most respected experts on gun crimes. But lawyers found a significant mistake in his analysis of a SWAT team shooting in Federal Way.

Story Published: Apr 27, 2007 at 6:04 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jan 13, 2010 at 3:45 PM PDT

Errors found in state forensic scentist's work
Evan Thompson was one of the state's most respected experts on gun crimes. Now his work as a state patrol forensic scientist is in question.

More than a hundred of his cases are under review.

Thompson analyzed evidence in gun crimes for more than a decade, even sharing his expertise with KOMO 4 News.

In 2000, Thompson showed us how a gun's hammer leaves distinct markings, like a fingerprint.

"That means that gun fired that cartridge case to the exclusion of all other guns in the world," Thompson explained.

But now, more than a hundred of his cases involving guns and tools are under review. There are concerns that Thompson's work is sloppy.

This issue came up when lawyers in an inquest found a significant mistake in his analysis of a SWAT team shooting in Federal Way.

The mistake was fixed before the case went to the jury.

But it prompted the state and an independent auditor to look over 13 of Thompson's most complex cases in 2006.

There were errors in all 13 - in three of them, the state was forced to issue amended reports.

Dr. Barry Logan is the director of WSP's Forensic Laboratory Services Bureau.

"The findings of the audit generally included some poor documentation of things in the files and in some cases it was difficult to relate the conclusions to the content of the files," Dr. Logan said. "So that prompted us to expand our investigation further."

Now all of Thompson's cases from 2005 to 2006 are under scrutiny.

Some of those haven't gone to trial, but some have already helped lead to convictions.

"As we go through our review process if we identify specific concerns about cases that were handled over the last two years, we'll of course turn that over to the courts, the prosecutors and the defendants," Logan said.

For the crime lab, credibility is paramount.

The newly-uncovered mistakes will spark changes in the way the crime lab reviews cases.
No cases have been dismissed or reopened so far because of problems with Thompson's work.

The King County Prosecutor's Office says it's too early to know what, if any, affect this will have.

In his decade with the crime lab, Thompson handled well over a thousand cases.

There will be no disciplinary action.

Thompson resigned earlier this month.