Juries may presume the machine is accurate. . . but like most machines there is plenty of room for error.
DA to review 15 months of Philly DUI cases
Written by
Randy Barber
FILED UNDER
World News
U.S./World News
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Prosecutors in Philadelphia will review 15 months of drunk-driving cases after four of the breathalyzer machines used by city police were found to be improperly calibrated.
A spokeswoman for District Attorney Seth Williams said Thursday the office decided to perform a wholesale review of cases from September 2009 to November 2010 because of faulty breath tests.
A day earlier, Williams and police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said the improperly calibrated machines affected about 1,150 DUI cases. City police file thousands of DUI cases each year.
The district attorney’s office says no defense attorneys have thus far requested a new trial or a dismissal of charges.
Spokeswoman Tasha Jamerson says the office will also do its own calibration checks on machines rather than relying only on police certifications.