Crime labs ‘bend science’ to strip medical marijuana rights, lawsuit says
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – State police crime labs intentionally misrepresent marijuana oil and edibles as having unknown origins, a tactic that can turn a misdemeanor possession charge into a felony and remove protections for Michigan’s medical marijuana users, a federal lawsuit claims.
Federal class action lawsuit filed against MSP crime labs over marijuana reporting policy
DETROIT — Attorneys filed a federal class action lawsuit against the Michigan State Police crime labs this week, claiming its current marijuana reporting policy violates due process and Fourth Amendment rights and demanding it be thrown out for good. This suit would have statewide impact, directly affecting the some 180,000 registere
Judge dismisses felony charges against Michigan man in medical pot case
A Michigan man has been living a nightmare. He lost custody of his son after a felony marijuana bust, even though he has a valid medical marijuana card. Max Lorincz is fighting to clear his name after he was accused of possessing synthetic marijuana. His bizarre case has revealed how politics might influence pot prosecutions
Medical Marijuana patients reunited with son after lengthy court battle, unfounded charges
April 7, 2016
SPRING LAKE, Mich. — After 18 months, a Spring Lake family’s son is out of foster care and reunited with his parents. Yet the fight to be together, through court battles and serious drug charges despite being card-carrying medical marijuana patients, still haunts them….
Felony synthetic THC charge tossed in Michigan man’s battle with crime lab
January 26, 2016
GRAND HAVEN, MI — A judge has sided with a Spring Lake man in his battle to get a felony marijuana charge dismissed, a case that hinged on controversial state police testing methods…
Judge dismissed felony charge against medical marijuana patient Max Lorincz
January 25, 2016
OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. – After 16 months of a criminal and family court battle, an Ottawa County Circuit Court Judge dismissed wrongful felony charges against a Spring Lake father and card-carrying medical marijuana patient for having “synthetic THC.” Friday Max Lorincz was in court for multiple hearings regarding his criminal case…
Southfield attorneys accuse MSP Crime Lab of negligence and incompetence
January 22, 2016
Two local attorneys have filed a formal complaint against the Michigan State Police Crime Lab, suggesting the agency should be made into an independent entity, but state officials have refuted the accusations of negligence and incompetence. Southfield-based attorneys Neil Rockind and Michael…
Forensic scientists blast State Police crime lab THC policy as man fights to get son back
January 20, 2016
Maxwell Lorincz lives in Spring Lake near Lake Michigan with his wife and their six-year-old son. At least, they did live with their son, until a year and a half ago. They lost custody of him after Lorincz was charged with a felony for possessing synthetic THC. He’s a card-carrying medical marijuana patient. But that hasn’t helped…
Crime Lab and Forensic Scandals
January 11, 2016
Just some of the known… 20150305 – Prosecutors criticize D.C. crime lab’s handling of some DNA evidence Prosecutors criticize D.C. crime lab…
Study Finds That State Crime Labs Are Paid Per Conviction
January 10, 2016
What?!?!….Really?!?! Article by Radley Balko in the Huffington Post Radley.Balko@huffingtonpost.com
Private Crime Labs Could Prevent Errors, Analyst Bias
January 10, 2016
The Detroit Free Press made an astonishing discovery last month. The city’s former crime lab had been abandoned. As the paper reported, “Thousands of rounds of live ammunition, sealed evidence…
Medical Marijuana Lawyers Want Crime Lab Removed From Michigan State Police
December 29, 2015
A group of criminal defense attorneys says the Michigan State Police (MSP) should no longer oversee the state crime lab. “We in Michigan accept the idea we’ve got a Michigan State Police crime lab. That is inherently problematic. But we accept it, because that’s how it is,” said attorney Michael…
Medical marijuana lawyers want state crime lab moved out of Michigan State Police
December 29, 2015
“The attorneys claim the policy change is leading to unfair felony charges for patients who would otherwise face misdemeanors.” Posted on MichiganRadio.org
Defense attorneys seek fed inquiry of MSP crime labs
December 26, 2015
Southfield — Three defense attorneys are asking the federal government to investigate the Michigan State Police crime laboratories, alleging misconduct in their testing for pending drug cases. Southfield defense attorneys Neil Rockind and Michael Komorn, along with Michael Nichols of East Lansing, want the National Institute
Federal complaints allege marijuana misreporting by State Police crime lab
December 24, 2015
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — At least three attorneys filed federal complaints Tuesday against the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division for allegations of serious negligence or misconduct, and to contest grant money the crime labs received this year. However, officials with both the MSP and the Michigan Attorney General’s Office…
MSP defends marijuana crime lab reporting after FOX 17 investigation
November 18, 2015
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Big questions are still looming over the controversial Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division marijuana reporting policy change: it’s accused of ambiguous crime lab reporting leading to misdemeanor pot charges trumped for synthetic-THC felonies…
Attorney: Crime labs ‘falsified’ marijuana reports
A Southfield lawyer alleges the Michigan State Police crime labs have “falsified lab reports on marijuana statewide” and he’s asking a judge to dismisses charges lodged against a client. Michael Komorn, who also represents defendants in Livingston County, said his office’s discovery stems from Ottawa County resident Maxwell
Michigan Prosecutors Pressured Lab on Medical Marijuana Results
December 10, 2015
THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE Forensic Science Division finds itself embroiled in scandal as newly released emails paint a picture of a crime lab in turmoil over how to classify marijuana. Attorneys and medical marijuana advocates accuse Michigan prosecutors of pressuring the state’s crime lab to falsely classify the origins of THC found in ha
Attorney Alleges Authorities `Bend The Science’ To Elevate Marijuana Cases
November 8, 2015
MIRS-Michigan Independent Source Of News and Information Friday Nov 6, 2015 Maxwell LORINCZ, of Spring Lake, says a fingerprint of oil on an empty plastic container led to his arrest on a drug charge on Sept. 24, 2014. Now, a year later, the case that might have started with a fingerprint has spurred a defense attorney to quest…
Drug felonies without credible proof? — Allegations of politicking in state police crime labs
November 7, 2015
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – First on FOX 17, we broke serious allegations that state police crime labs are being told to falsely report marijuana test results. This is resulting in misleading lab reports that an attorney claims creates felonies without real proof. Attorney Michael Komorn believes a recent policy change in the way Michigan…
Attorney: Crime labs ‘falsified’ marijuana reports
November 6, 2015
A Southfield lawyer alleges the Michigan State Police crime labs have “falsified lab reports on marijuana statewide” and he’s asking a judge to dismisses charges lodged against a client. Michael Komorn, who also represents defendants in Livingston County, said his office’s discovery stems from Ottawa County resident Maxwell Lorincz…
Hearing in alleged false crime lab marijuana reporting dropped this week
November 4, 2015
OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. – The evidentiary hearing originally set for Nov. 5 has been dropped in the case involving a medical marijuana patient charged with a disputed felony for synthetic THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The Ottawa County Assistant Prosecutor filed motions to quash, or suppress, the defense’s subpoenas,…
Emails spell out alleged scandal in state crime lab testing, falsely reporting marijuana
November 1, 2015
OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. – First uncovered by FOX 17 an alleged scandal in how state crime labs are testing and reporting marijuana…
“A non-stop political game:” Former MSP Forensic Science director on false marijuana reporting …
November 1, 2015
DEWITT, Mich. – A former director of Michigan State Police Forensic Science addressed the serious allegations FOX 17 uncovered, which accuse the Attorney General’s offi
Michigan’s medical marijuana law circumvented by crime labs’ THC reports, attorney charges
October 31, 2015
Posted on MLive 10/30/15 OTTAWA COUNTY, MI – An attorney claims prosecutors pressured state police crime labs to change the way THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, is reported in an effort to circumvent Michigan’s medical marijuana law. Michael Komorn alleges scientists were told to report an unknown…
Medical-Marijuana Patient Alleges Prosecutors Swayed Crime Lab Drug Tests
October 31, 2015
Fri, 10/30/2015 – 4:11pm A Michigan medical-marijuana patient claims in court papers that state police crime labs are bending to pressure from prosecutors in analyzing marijuana samples, leading to harsher punishments. Maxwell Lorincz, 35, was originally charged with a possessions misdemeanor for a small amount of marijuana oil…
Allegations: MSP falsely reporting marijuana, targeting card-carrying patients
October 30, 2015
SPRING LAKE, Mich. – The defense representing a Spring Lake father facing a felony marijuana charge is accusing Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division crime labs of misreporting marijuana intentionally. It’s an allegation with statewide implications. FOX 17
Father fighting to use medical marijuana concentrates
August 12, 2015
April 23, 2015 – In Western Michigan yet another Michigan Medical Marijuana patient is fighting for his freedom in a system of confusing laws. He is also fighting for the right to see his child all while the State of Michigan possibly destroys his family and financial future. Max Lorincz -unlike most who plead to the sometimes…