Innocence Blog

Former Nebraska Forensic Analyst Sentenced to Prison

Posted: June 2, 2010 1:45 pm

The former chief crime scene investigator in Douglas County, Nebraska, was sentenced yesterday to up to four years in prison for tampering with evidence that led two people to be wrongfully convicted of murder.

At a bench trial in March, a Nebraska judge found that prosecutors had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that former lab chief David Kofoed had planted blood from a murder victim in a car in an attempt to tie two innocent men to the crime. The men were eventually cleared and two Wisconsin residents were convicted of the murder.

After the sentencing yesterday, Judge Randall Rehmeier said: “Public confidence in the criminal justice system is paramount. ...The court believes that Mr. Kofoed does not appear particularly remorseful.”

Read the full story here.

Read more about forensic misconduct as a cause of wrongful conviction.