Everyone has to live by the rules.

Tiger Woods is immensely popular and is credited with bringing the sport of golf unprecedented attention.  Golf existed long before Tiger but not with the same TV coverage, endorsements and crowds in attendance.  If anyone should have a rule waived in their favor it would be Tiger.

But a rule is a rule and as a result of a bad drop at The Masters, he was penalized two strokes, despite the fact that officials missed the infraction at the time until it was caught later.

Everyone has rules…except for crime labs.

How many times do we read about gross violations at crime labs. Faulty equipment, bad lab practices, uncalibrated devices and technicians “dry labbing” instead of even performing tests have become far too common.

It is happening all over the country (see some of the many crime lab scandals we have covered) and even in the scandals that have come to light, very little corrective action is normally taken.  The labs are not penalized, processes are not changed and perpetrators remain unpunished.

The rules are there for a reason.  In the grand scheme of things, which is more important Tiger Woods dropping a golf ball or forensic tests in which the slightest variance can impact peoples lives?

The crime labs are playing with people’s lives by not playing by the rules.

Justin McShane

PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.