Botched tests lead Ohio medical examiner to tighten policies
CLEVELAND (AP) — The medical examiner’s office in Ohio’s largest county is tightening reporting protocols after it found dozens of errors from a former forensic chemist.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office found at least 27 mistakes made by the chemist, the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported Thursday.
Office administrator Hugh Shannon said the lab has since enacted stricter reporting standards. Every sample must be photographed, and analysts now must write detailed descriptions of the substances.
A discipline letter says the chemist was caught when a sample was retested that the chemist had inaccurately said did not contain drugs.
The office is investigating thousands of cases the chemist had analyzed dating back to January 2013. He was fired July 6. None of his supervisors are facing discipline.