FBI Whistleblower Settles

DAILY BRIEFING

FBI Whistleblower Settles

The whistleblower who triggered an overhaul of the FBI's world-renowned crime lab left the bureau Thursday with a settlement worth more than $1.16 million, the Associated Press has reported.

After a year-long paid suspension, Frederic Whitehurst returned to work Thursday and voluntarily resigned. The deal settles his charges that the FBI retaliated against him for pointing out problems with the lab.

"The FBI did the right thing," Whitehurst's attorney Stephen Kohn said. "It's a positive message to all employees."

Whitehurst was placed on administrative leave after accusing FBI agents of contaminating evidence and skewing findings in the World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombing cases.

On "Good Morning America" today, Whitehurst said that after making the accusations he was transferred from various departments to keep his silence. The FBI also rewrote reports he had written, he said.

"Management was a little rough, more than a little rough," Whitehurst said.

The FBI admitted no liability or fault for the incident in the settlement document, according to the Associated Press.

"Dr. Whitehurst played a role in identifying specific areas of the lab to be examined, and some of the issues he noted resulted in both internal and external reviews," the FBI said in a brief statement.

Whitehurst agreed that after he mentioned the issues, lab conditions at the FBI have improved.

"I think a great deal of effort is being put forth to bring that laboratory into the 21st century," he said.

As part of the settlement, the FBI will also pay $258,580 in legal fees to Whitehurst's lawyers, and the Justice Department will stop considering disciplinary action against him.