APD's DNA mixture could have affected hundreds of cases
Hundreds of notices are being mailed out to convicted criminals whose cases might have been affected by the way the Austin Police Department mixed the D.N.A. in their crime lab. The Travis County District Attorney's Conviction integrity unit identified the cases as ones where the D.N.A. may have made a significant difference in the outcome in the case. They say they are reviewing the cases in Ian effort to make sure that someone who is innocent wasn't wrongfully convicted.
They are sending notices to 1600 adults. Approximately 642 of those they say, are ready to be mailed. The people are either in jail, on probation, or have been released. They say there could be several hundred more sent from other divisions at the D.A.’s office. The cases range from 2004, when the Austin Police Department’s crime lab opened, through 2016.
Once the notices are received, the person can have a lawyer to take a closer look at the case to see how significant D.N.A. contributed to their conviction and if there are grounds for an appeal. The Travis County District Attorney’s office also tells Fox 7, they are trying to finalize an agreement with the non-profit Capital Area Private Defenders who will handle the bulk of the work.