STATEMENT


         I, Captain Joel L. Leson, [REDACTED]     was Commanding Officer of the

         US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL) during the period

         13 May 1969 to 24 August 1970. During the course of that period, USACIL

         was called upon to render forensic scientific assistance to Detachment B,

         3d MP Gp (CI), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in a case involving Captain

         Jeffrey R. MacDonald, his wife, Mrs. Colette MacDonald, and his children

         Kimberly and Kristen MacDonald. Initial notification was received by

         me at 0550 hours, 17 February 1970, from the duty officer, US Army

         Military Police School that a multiple homicide had been committed at

         Fort Bragg and that a crime scene processing team was being requested.

         After confirming this information with Det B, 3d MP Gp personnel (CW3

         Moser and CW2 R. P. Orr) I arranged for an aircraft to standby at the

         Fort Gordon 3d Army Aviation Detachment. At 0730 hours, I briefed the

         laboratory team composed of CW2 Harold V. Page (Photography), MSG H. O.

         Medlin (Fingerprints), WO1 Ralph T. Turbyfill (Fingerprints), and SP4

         Craig S. Chamberlain (Chemistry). At 0820, Colonel Herman Trop, CO,

         3d MP Gp (CI), briefed the team in a conference call and after this

         was completed, the team proceeded to Bush Field, Augusta, GA, for air

         transportation to Fort Bragg.

         From the departure of the crime scene team until its return, I maintained

         daily contact with MSG Medlin (Team leader) in an effort to see if further








 

         support was required from USACIL to personnel at Ft. Bragg. Upon the

         return of the USACIL team on 21 February 1970, all evidence was marked

         for laboratory identification and processing began.

         A de-briefing was given by MSG H. O. Medlin with regard to this case on

         23 February 1970. At this time we noted that although crime scene

         search and processing in the field is not a standard function of this

         unit, the response provided was expertly performed and in a timely man-

         ner.

         To expedite this case a priority was given all evidence involved after

         its arrival at the laboratory. All results were forwarded after normal

         laboratory quality control checks and tests were made.

         With regard to laboratory assistance provided by USACIL - both trial

         and defense counsels were given access to the technicians involved in

         the case for the purpose of explaining their findings and conclusions

         in addition to presenting their qualifications.

         With regard to this assistance, when approval was granted to conduct a

         taped interview by Cpt Robert Payne, defense counsel's representative

         at Fort Gordon, it was agreed that a typed transcript would be provided

         USACIL to allow for review by technicians being interviewed prior to

         Article 32 testimony. This was not done. (MSG Medlin was the only

         examiner interviewed.)

         In response to certain allegations made by CPT MacDonald concerning

         lack of liaison with the FBI and the lack of FBI laboratory service,

         I provided an additional verbal statement to LTC Thomas E. Day on 21

         December 1970, which explained liaison with the Federal Bureau of

         Investigation's ID Division, to include procedures employed in the

         processing of fingerprints by this unit and the FBI. I am unequivi-

         cally satisfied that every action taken by USACIL in the conduct of

         this case was correct and in accordance with the highest scientific

         and administrative standards. Further, I am also convinced that the

         USACIL performed its mission in a professionally and ethically

         superior manner.



                                               /s/ Joel L. Leson
                                               JOEL L. LESON
                                               Captain, MPC