McAllen crime lab hires DNA supervisor despite cheating accusations

McALLEN — The Texas Department of Public Safety plans to stand behind a recent supervisor hire at the McAllen crime lab despite criticism stemming from allegations she helped former co-workers cheat on proficiency exams.

Vanessa Nelson, 33, is slated to begin work in McAllen on March 3. Her work as the supervisor of the local DNA division covers all South Texas criminal scene investigation, from Laredo to Brownsville and south of Corpus Christi. On Jan. 10, she resigned as the Houston Police Department’s DNA division supervisor to avoid being fired.

Houston police officials have said an internal investigation determined Nelson gave DNA analysts answers to a skills test they take each year to prove their competency. The department never accused Nelson of tampering with DNA evidence or botching case work.

DPS officials knew of Nelson’s situation in Houston before they hired her, said Austin-based spokeswoman Tela Mange.

Nelson, who has declined comment, worked for a DPS lab in El Paso for three years before moving to the Houston department in 2006. Nelson’s solid performance in El Paso is what led to her re-hire despite the problems in Houston, Mange said.

“Her supervisor said she was an outstanding employee then and her supervisor expects that she will continue to be,” she said.

The DNA supervisor job in McAllen has been vacant since August 2007. The former supervisor quit to spend time at home with her children, according to Joe Marchan, head of the McAllen lab and Nelson’s upcoming supervisor.

State Rep. Kevin Bailey, D-Houston, told The Associated Press he was troubled by the

decision to hire Nelson.

“The integrity of these DNA labs is so critical,” he said. “Their work has life-and-death consequences.”

The McAllen DNA lab handles work for law enforcement agencies in eight counties. It is the only of its kind south of Corpus Christi and handled 444 cases in 2007. Technicians there assist with evidence such as weapons ballistics and toxicology work. Nelson is set to supervise three employees there.

The Texas Legislature voted in 2003 to require all 13 of the department’s labs to be accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Accreditation Board, which conducts external audits of the DNA labs every other year. DPS internally audits the labs each year, officials said.

The Houston Police Department DNA division is closed while police officials search for a replacement for Nelson. The department’s DNA sector has been mired in controversy over recent years. It also closed from 2002 to 2006 due to poor work, and has faced questions ever since.

Nelson did not start working in Houston until after it re-opened in 2006.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Zack Quaintance covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.