Judge Orders District Attorney George Gascón to Release Secret Crime Lab Memo

[RandySF]

A judge ordered prosecutors to release an internal memo criticizing DNA testing procedures at the San Francisco police crime lab today, an unexpected turn of events that could have serious political and legal ramifications for the SFPD and the office of District Attorney George Gascón.

Just yesterday, Superior Court Judge Charles Haines had ruled that the memo -- authored by Rockne Harmon, a renowned DNA expert and veteran prosecutor who formerly worked at the San Francisco DA's office as a consultant -- was not relevant to the murder trial of James Mayfield, a 65-year-old church deacon charged with the brutal 1976 murder of a young sculptor.

Today, however, Haines reversed his ruling, after an extensive one-on-one discussion in chambers with Harmon, who had been subpoenaed by the Public Defender's Office. In a move that shocked both defense attorneys and prosecutors, Haines emerged late in the day to state that the DA's office must disclose the memo under the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Brady v. Maryland, which requires prosecutors to share evidence with defendants that can help their cases.

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2011/09/judge_dna_lab_memo_harmon.php