DUI Cases Often Rely on Questionable Evidence

Описание: In most cases involving charges of driving under the influence (DUI), a large portion of the prosecution’s evidence is comprised of breath, blood, and urine test results. While such evidence is often presented in court as irrefutable facts, the reality is that Illinois State Police crime labs have been known to make serious mistakes.

These glaring problems were brought to light in the fall of 2015 when a man was facing DUI charges stemming from a 2011 accident in which hit a pedestrian in Lisle. A sobriety test placed the man at just above the legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC). Don Ramsell of Ramsell & Associates, LLC, represented the accused man. Mr. Ramsell discovered a recently-completed internal audit of the ISP’s crime labs which laid out a myriad of accuracy concerns.

The audit called for corrective action, including training for toxicology staff and a revision of the labs’ protocols. A follow-up investigation by Chicago’s ABC-7 found even more mistakes made by the crime labs. The man was acquitted on all charges, but Mr. Ramsell said that the case casts doubt on every test the ISP labs have performed in recent years. He claims that the biggest problem is that the labs’ methods have not been validated. The ISP, for its part, says that its methods are widely accepted in the scientific community.

If you have been charged with DUI or any related offense, contact an Illinois DUI defense lawyer. https://www.dui-illinois-attorney.com/