Overview

In March 2004, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory identified Brandon Mayfield, an Oregon attorney, as the source of a latent fingerprint recovered from a plastic bag containing explosive detonators found near the site of commuter train bombings in Madrid, Spain that killed almost 200 people and injured more than 1,400 others. Based primarily on the FBI Laboratory's conclusion, the FBI arrested Mayfield as a material witness in May 2004. Approximately 2 weeks after Mayfield's arrest, the Spanish National Police (SNP) informed the FBI that it had identified an Algerian national, Ouhnane Daoud, as the source of the latent fingerprint. The FBI subsequently examined Daouds fingerprints and withdrew its identification of Mayfield, and Mayfield was released from custody after being held for 14 days. The FBI issued a formal apology to Mayfield and his family. After news of the misidentification became public, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) initiated a review to determine the causes of the error, assess the FBI Laboratory's conduct, evaluate its responses to the error, and make additional recommendations for changes in FBI Laboratory procedures to prevent future errors. The OIG's report, A Review of the FBI's Handling of the Brandon Mayfield Case, was issued in early 2006.

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