dictionary

Justice Department settles FBI crime lab lawsuit

July 7, 2000
Web posted at: 4:19 p.m. EDT (2019 GMT)

By CNN Justice Department Producer Terry Frieden

	LEGAL RESOURCES
Latest Legal News
Law Library
FindLaw Consumer Center Select a topic Bankruptcy Discrimination Divorce Estate Planning Landlord-Tenant Personal Injury Taxes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Justice Department has agreed to pay $355,000 in legal fees to former FBI laboratory whistle blower Frederic Whitehurst and others to settle the final lawsuit stemming from the investigation into the crime lab.

The Freedom of Information Act lawsuit forced the release of 53,000 pages of the government's confidential investigation into the crime lab. The lawsuit was filed by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and one of its former officials, Jack King, and later joined by Whitehurst.

The government agreed it would not charge the plaintiffs for the fees associated with their efforts to gain the release of the documents, according to a Justice Department spokesman and a plaintiff's attorney.

The defense lawyers organization announced it will post the investigative documents on the Internet and link them to the Justice Department Inspector General's Web site.

Former Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich issued a stinging report on some sections of the FBI lab in 1997 as a result of Whitehurst's allegations of lab mismanagement. The report prompted the FBI to acknowledge several errors and revamp its lab procedures.

"This is the end of the case, but probably only the beginning of a long fight to right the wrongs of the past 20 years," said King in a statement announcing the settlement.

Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller confirmed the settlement, but said the department would have no further comment.

Justice reviewed Freeh comments, decided no intent to commit crime
May 26, 2000
FBI whistle-blower leaves, gets $1.16 million
February 27, 1998

Federal Bureau of Investigation - Home Page
Office of Inspector General Report on FBI Labs - April 1997
National Whistleblower Center

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.