Gov. Dannel P. Malloy named a panel, led by his top criminal justice aide and Hartford Police Chief Daryl Roberts, to find ways to help the embattled state crime lab catch up on its backlog of case investigations.
The lab has been described in recent news accounts by The Hartford Courant and others, as woefully short-staffed and overburdened with case work, including DNA testing.
“Federal auditors have raised legitimate issues related to administrative procedures at the state crime lab,” Malloy said Thursday, announcing the panel. “A number of the concerns have already been addressed and I am confident that all DNA testing protocols are or will be current in the very near future.”
Mike Lawlor, undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning, leads the panel that includes:
·        Kevin Kane, Chief State’s Attorney
·        Reuben Bradford, Commissioner, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
·        Maj. William R. Podgorski, Connecticut State Police
·        Karen Goodrow, Director, Connecticut Innocence Project
·        Tim Palmbach PhD., Chairman, Department of Forensic Sciences, Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven and former Director of Connecticut Forensic Science Law and Commanding Officer for Scientific Services, Connecticut State Police
·        Honorable Robert J. Devlin, Jr., Chief Administrative Judge, Criminal Division of the Superior Court
·        Nora Dannehy, Deputy Attorney General
·        Monique M. Ferraro, Principal, Technology Forensics, LLC
·        Michael Wolf, Former Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation
·        Linda Strausbaugh, PhD., Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut
·        Alex V. Hernandez, Criminal Defense Attorney and former Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan
·        Mike Lawlor, Under Secretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning, Office of Policy and Management
·        President Pro Tempore’s selection: Senator Eric Coleman, Co-Chair, Judiciary CommitteeÂ
·        House Speaker’s selection: Representative Gerald Fox, III, Co-Chair, Judiciary CommitteeÂ
·        Senate Minority Leader’s selection: Senator Michael McLachlan
·        House Minority Leader’s selection: Representative Themis Klarides, Deputy Minority Leader
