Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo criticized the whistle blower in the DNA crime lab case Friday.
Acevedo says the former DNA lab technician was selective, calculated, and incomplete in her statements about the DNA lab and its involvement in the Nathaniel Sanders case.
With his staff standing behind him for support, Acevedo told reporters that Cecily Hamilton misled the Austin community regarding the Nathaniel Sanders case on Thursday.
Cecily Hamilton is a former APD DNA lab employee who filed complaints last year which surfaced a few weeks ago. She alleges incompetence on the part of some DNA employees and a cover up to protect workers who allegedly mishandled evidence.
Hamilton specifically mentioned the Nathaniel Sanders case, the 18-year-old shot and killed by a then Austin police officer in May of 2009.
Chief Acevedo says he questions Hamilton's motivatons for what he says was misleading the community on such an emotional case and he believes she owes the community and apology.
"I mean come on guys, she brought up Nathaniel Sanders knowing full well that there was no problem with that investigation," Chief Acevedo said. "I have a real problem with that. I think that we as professionals, I would hope that she's a professional understand our responsibility to this community, you don't sit back and not respond to that. It had nothing to do with the shooting investigation, and quite frankly I'm offended that she would do that."
The chief also told KVUE that starting next week theTexas Rangers will be investigating the allegations.
The week after that, the Department of Justice will be doing the same thing, and the Travis County DA is looking into hiring an independent auditor to conduct a third investigation in to allegations lodged against APDs DNA lab.
