CBI evidence tampering

Veteran defense attorney Mary Claire Mulligan says the state Legislature should shut down the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and “rebuild from scratch.” The lab where crime evidence has been mishandled for more than 10 years has not responded adequately to the scandal and lawmakers have not done enough to rectify the problems it created, Mulligan said in an interview on the podcast “Criminal INjustice with Casey Krizman.”

Mulligan, who has been a defense attorney for 33 years, said the state should take these steps:

• Shut down CBI completely and rebuild from scratch.
• Demand complete transparency and access to all CBI data.
• Appoint a special master to oversee case reviews.
• Fund post-conviction attorneys to handle affected cases.
• Urge state lawmakers to hold CBI accountable.

For those who believe their cases may have been affected, Mulligan recommends:

• Contacting their original lawyer or another criminal defense attorney.
• Filing a Form 4 (Petition for Post-Conviction Relief) with the court.
• Contacting the public defender system and the alternate defense counsel, letting them know of your situation because “the squeaky wheel gets the grease here.”