U. S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office of the Director
Washington. D.C 20535
February 12, 1997
Mr. Michael R. Bromwich
Office of the Inspector General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, Room 4706
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear Mr. Bromwich:
Thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments on your January 21, 1997 draft report entitled "The FBI Laboratory: An Investigation into Laboratory Practices and Alleged Misconduct in Explosives-Related and Other Cases."
This document represents the FBI's response after its initial review of the draft report. Unfortunately, it was not possible in these few weeks for the FBI to evaluate each of the findings, conclusions and recommendations contained in the draft report, which we understand was the product of over 16 months of investigation. In addition, the FBI has not been furnished the underlying reports of investigation which form the basis for the draft report. Also, the FBI's comments are necessarily limited to the extent that certain sections of the draft report have not been provided to the FBI as of this date. Nonetheless, we believe that this period of review has afforded us the ability to provide your Office with a number of significant comments, which I am now submitting for your consideration.
These comments represent the dedicated review of many individuals within the FBI, who have worked under extremely tight time constraints to assist in this phase of the Laboratory inspection. In that regard, I would especially like to thank Inspector-Deputy General Counsel James M. Maddock and those who assisted him within the FBI's Office of the General Counsel and Laboratory Division. Also on behalf of the FBI, I would like to extend our most sincere appreciation for the extensive work of the fourteen persons identified by your Office as assisting in this effort. Their thorough review of the matters contained in the draft report is certain to have a positive impact on the FBI's Laboratory and on law enforcement efforts throughout the nation and abroad.
Respectfully,
Weldon Kennedy
Deputy Director
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