More problems at HPD crime lab

Apparetly, the troubles at the HPD crime lab aren't quite over yet: An analyst in the lab was suspended last week, accused of improperly handling evidences, which means that police will have to review about 200 narcotics cases. The analyst, whom the Chronicle identifies as James K. Carpenter, reportedly "was not handling evidence in compliance with lab protocols," which led investigators with the police department's Internal Affairs Division to check out the lab last week. Carpenter reportedly refused to give a statement or take a drug test, to he was immediately suspended, the Chronicle reports.

Crime lab director Irma Rios said HPD will work with the Harris County DA's office to review Carpenter's work from the past six months, but she stressed that the problem seems to be isolated: "While we obviously have to wait for the outcome of the investigation, this appears to be an isolated case of one employee not performing properly," she told the Chronicle. "My first-line supervisors did their jobs in monitoring Mr. Carpenter's attendance and performance, which is one of the checks and balances needed to guard against a potential problem." Gabe Ortiz, an HPD spokesman, declined to comment on the issue yesterday.

The latest problem comes a couple of months after special investigator Michael Bromwich released the findings of his two-year investigation into the lab. His probe uncovered more than 200 cases in which the lab's work was deemed unreliable and 400 more that needed further review. It's not clear whether Bromwich's investigation identified any of Carpenter's work as needing further review; Carpenter was hired a month before problems at the lab became public in late 2002.