Embattled Police Chemist Fired

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Embattled Police Chemist Fired

By TIM TALLEY Associated Press Writer

September 25, 2001, 4:09 PM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A police chemist under investigation for giving false or misleading testimony in criminal cases, including some in which she helped send men to death row, was fired Tuesday.

Joyce Gilchrist was dismissed from her job by Chief of Police M.T. Berry, who said the decision was based on the recommendations of an administrative panel who heard testimony about Gilchrist's alleged misconduct.

A statement from Berry's office said reasons for firing Gilchrist "include laboratory mismanagement, criticism from court challenges and flawed casework analysis." Berry said her termination was effective Tuesday.

Gilchrist, whose work is being investigated by the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, has been on paid administrative leave from the Police Department since February, earning a base salary of $59,528.

She faces allegations in an undetermined number of criminal cases, including instances in which she helped send men to death row. Hundreds of her cases are being re-examined.

Telephone calls to Gilchrist and her attorney, Melvin Hall, were not immediately returned.

No criminal charges have been filed, but said Jack Dempsey Pointer, president of the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, has said he wants her to be investigated by a state grand jury. Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

Answers

It's about time!

We have had MANY discussions about this particular person/situation on the Hilltop. Unbelieveable it took this long, but glad it finally happened.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001


I have seen the news reports on TV about her and I sure hope more then her getting fired happens!

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

She didn't just send them to death row. Some of them have been executed based on convictions obtained with her false testimony.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001

You're right Helen, they have executed people based on her testimony! The most infuriating thing about all this is that even when presented with a MOUNTAIN of VERY incriminating, air tight evidence against her, TPTB were loathe to "make waves". It wasn't Politically Correct because of her 'protected status'.

That is just so much bull. I am griped she's still drawing a salary, but at least she's outta there and not providing 'evidence'.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2001


Knowing how this state operates, I'm surprised she didn't get a huge raise and a promotion! I'm so glad they did the right thing, and I'm sure most of the people around here are as well.

They have had to start to look at every case she has worked on, and it appears that some of the evidence that was tested by her has turned up "missing". If the person is guilty, hope they stay in jail. If not, hope they walk free.

Sheeps

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001



Fired Police Chemist Disputes Claim

By TIM TALLEY Associated Press Writer

September 26, 2001, 5:38 AM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An attorney for a fired police chemist disputed allegations that her testimony in criminal cases was flawed and said he wants to see a report recommending her dismissal.

"I challenge you to tell me what Joyce Gilchrist was terminated for," attorney Melvin Hall said Tuesday.

Chief of Police M.T. Berry said the decision to fire Gilchrist Tuesday was based on the recommendations of an administrative review panel that heard testimony about her alleged misconduct.

Reasons for firing Gilchrist "include laboratory mismanagement, criticism from court challenges and flawed casework analysis," a statement from Berry's office said.

Hundreds of Gilchrist's cases are being re-examined.

Gilchrist said she was "very, very disappointed" with the panel's findings. Hall said Gilchrist's termination letter was inaccurate and did not spell out the specific misconduct that led to her dismissal.

"Joyce Gilchrist doesn't know what she did wrong," Hall said.

Gilchrist, whose work is being investigated by the FBI and the state of Oklahoma, has been on paid administrative leave from the Oklahoma City Police Department since February, earning a base salary of $59,528.

Her dismissal was applauded by criminal defense attorneys who have suspected her of performing shoddy work and giving false or misleading testimony in criminal cases.

"That is very appropriate action. It is long overdue, however," said attorney Doug Parr. Although Gilchrist has not been charged with a crime, Parr said investigators should look "into any criminal conduct that she may have engaged in."

"This is just the first step in Joyce Gilchrist's long, long fall," said Jack Dempsey Pointer, president of the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

Pointer said he wants Gilchrist to be investigated by a grand jury that has been impaneled by Attorney General Drew Edmondson. A spokesman for Edmondson declined to comment on the grand jury's investigative agenda.

In May, Jeff Pierce, who was convicted of rape in 1986 after Gilchrist testified about hair evidence, was freed after 15 years behind bars when new testing indicated his DNA did not match that of the person who committed the crime.

Last month, a federal appeals court overturned a convicted killer's death sentence because of problems with Gilchrist's testimony about DNA evidence. And a few years ago, an inmate who was sent to death row in part by Gilchrist's testimony was exonerated after a DNA semen analysis proved he didn't attack the victim.

Pointer said he believes other innocent people have been wrongly convicted based on Gilchrist's testimony.

"We don't even have a clue how many," Pointer said.

Gilchrist has been involved in 11 cases in which people were put to death, but the state attorney general's office has said there is no indication that any innocent people have been executed.

State investigators said this month that a forensic team had reviewed 583 case files and marked 99 for further review. There were 574 case files left to review.

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Cris Cunningham said Gilchrist has the right to file a grievance to appeal her dismissal. Gilchrist has not decided whether to appeal, Hall said. Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001


Gilchrist has been involved in 11 cases in which people were put to death, but the state attorney general's office has said there is no indication that any innocent people have been executed.

Now, we all know even if there is clear cut evidence an innocents were executed based on her testimony, we will never hear about it. Ain't NO way that info will ever come to light. Can you imagine the field day attorneys for the families of such persons would have? It would be utterly damning and would absolutely cut to the quick any semblance of "authority" and/or "respectability" the Police Department has, especially because they had evidence of her ineptitude and falsifying results for a very long time before they did anything.

Nope. Will never happen.

-- Anonymous, September 26, 2001


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