San Francisco drug cases dropped amid questions of evidence handling at crime lab

SF drug cases dropped amid crime lab questions

SAN FRANCISCO — Authorities say at least a dozen drug cases have been dropped in San Francisco Superior Court amid questions about evidence handling at the city crime lab.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi said Wednesday the impact of alleged evidence tampering by a lab technician could affect a number of the 6,000 drug-related cases his office handles each year.

Adachi says a review is under way to see how many cases were overseen by lab technician Deborah Madden, who took a leave of absence before retiring earlier this month as a criminalist after 29 years.

Madden has not been arrested, and no charges have been filed. Calls to her San Mateo home Wednesday were not immediately returned.