Fiona Couper, 37, began her job as the new state toxicologist recently and spoke at a news conference on Monday. Part of Ms. Couper’s job is to return credibility to the lab that was so disgraced under her predecessor Barry Logan, particularly as it relates to WA State’s breath testing program, which is a critical part of handling and prosecuting Washington DUI arrests and criminal charges.
She is currently reviewing audits, interviewing employees and analyzing data for the Seattle-based lab, which has come under tremendous scrutiny this past year when thousands breath-test results in Washington drunk driving cases were be suppressed by judges throughout the state. She stated that her number one goal is to focus on regaining public and judicial trust of the state’s toxicology lab, especially as it related to WA State DUI cases. Her stated goal is to ensure high-quality lab results by installing strict standards and protocols in the hopes of her laboratory attaining international accreditation.
Couper completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Australia. While completing her doctoral requirements at the University of Washington, she previously worked as an employee at the state’s toxicologist laboratory. She spent the last five years working as the chief toxicologist for the District of Columbia’s Medical Examiner’s Office, which had been shut down because of leadership and competency concerns, when she was hired.
At her news conference, Couper stated “I’m very much a scientist, and that’s what I’m focusing on.” She went on to add that “it’s already a great lab. I’m just going to improve on that.” Many Washington DUI lawyers would strongly object with her unfounded conclusion that it was “already a great lab”. In the opinion of many WA State criminal defense attorneys, it was actually nothing short of an embarrassment to honest science, as well as the state’s citizens, who deserve more.