Two North Texas men join state forensic science commission

Two Tarrant County men are joining the Texas Forensic Science Commission.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday announced that Mark Daniel, a Fort Worth attorney and former Tarrant County assistant district attorney, and Bruce Budowle, director of the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, will join the small agency tasked with overseeing the use of science in courtrooms.

Members who will serve terms that run through Sept. 1, 2017, include Daniel, Dennis “Pat” Johnson of Austin, Sarah Kerrigan of The Woodlands, Jarvis Parsons of Bryan and returning member Jeffrey Barnard of Dallas, who will serve as the presiding officer.

Budowle of North Richland Hills, Nancy Downing of Bryan, Jasmine Drake of Conroe and returning member Sheree Hughes-Stamm of The Woodlands will serve terms set to expire Sept. 1, 2018.

The Austin-based commission oversees Texas crime laboratories and other entities using forensic analysis to determine results in criminal cases. The commission is also responsible for creating policies, practices and procedures to improve forensic analysis in Texas.

This story was originally published November 28, 2016 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Two North Texas men join state forensic science commission."