Whilst reading the 2024 story of Colorado’s former star forensic scientist, Yvonne “Missy” Woods, the Barometer had that feeling of déjà vu. Had this story of an incredible forensic scientist whose results were flawed over decades been told before?
Indeed it had. Checking her records, the Barometer found the 2001 story of the late Joyce Gilchrist. another star forensic scientist in Oklahoma City whose reputation was national. In 1985, she was named the Oklahoma City police department’s employee of the year.
When the FBI checked her work it found “incomplete and inaccurate data.” The FBI also found DNA matches that “fall far below the acceptance limits of the science of hair comparisons.” Twelve defendants were exonerated when Ms. Gilchrist’s work and testimony in 3,000 cases from 1980-1993 were reviewed. She was fired for fraud.
The FBI report suggested that all of the cases that used her work be re-examined. One of the changes made following the Gilchrist revelations was to move forensic labs out of police departments to remove the inherent conflict.
Ah, but government employees, scientist or not, are still paid by the same employer. Changed reporting lines do not always curb bias. You can take them out of the police department but you never really remove them from law enforcement.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is also now looking at about 3,000 cases that involved DNA testing in the 29 years Ms. Woods worked there. Ms. Woods was a witness or potential witness in 56 closed cases and 13 open cases. Her attorney issued a statement, “She continues to stand by the reliability and integrity of her work on matters that were filed in court, and particularly in cases in which she testified in court under oath.” Dan Frisch and Zusha Elision, “DNA Scandal Jolts Colorado Justice System,” Wall Street Journal, March 8, 2024, p. A3.
The lesson from this case is the critical need for quality peer review of forensic labs. But there is another lesson still not learned from both cases — if it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Forensic scientists who can solve cold cases and always seem to be on the prosecution’s side may not be brilliant stars. Audit, check, and recheck their results. Do it long before they reach their 20-30 year marks.