Forensic scientist Henry Lee, renowned for his work in criminal investigations, has been found liable for fabricating evidence in a murder case which led to the wrongful conviction of two Connecticut men in 1985.
Ralph “Ricky” Birch and Shawn Henning were sentenced to decades in prison for the murder of Everett Carr, based partially on Lee’s testimony about bloodstains found on a towel in Carr’s New Milford home, according to The Associated Press.
DEVELOPING: A federal judge has ruled in favor of two men falsely imprisoned for a 1980’s New Milford murder they did not commit in their civil lawsuit against former Ct Medical Examiner Dr. Henry Lee and others. The pre-trial ruling paved the way for a future monetary settlement pic.twitter.com/TaEggqu2jO
— newsbell (@newsbell) July 21, 2023
Birch served over 30 years of a 55-year sentence before being released in 2019; Henning was granted probation in 2018, the outlet noted.
In 2020, however, their felony murder convictions were vacated, leading the two men to file a federal wrongful conviction lawsuit against Lee, eight police investigators and New Milford, per AP. (RELATED: Innocent Man Free After Spending 33 Years In Prison)
Judge Victor Bolden ruled Lee falsified evidence to support his testimony and mishandled an immunity defense which could have protected him from damages, as reported by the Hartford Courant.
Lee defended his actions in the investigation, stating that over the course of his illustrious career, he has never been “accused of any wrongdoing or for testifying intentionally wrong,” per AP.
The Connecticut Attorney General’s office, representing Lee and the police investigators, is reviewing the decision to determine their next steps, according to spokesperson Elizabeth Benton.
Lee, who gained fame following his testimony in the notorious O.J. Simpson murder trial, has been involved in several high-profile investigations over the years. “This is the first case that I have to defend myself,” the famed scientist told reporters.
Nevertheless, Lee was notably scrutinized in the 2007 murder trial of Phil Spector, where he was accused of stripping evidence from the crime scene, per AP.