Ed Barley’s Biochemistry Degree Does Not Make Him a Forensic Toxicologist
Article overview: This post compares Ed Barley’s biochemistry education with formal forensic-toxicology training and argues that his academic record does not establish the specialized expertise his testimony implies.
SEO structure updated July 24, 2026.
Why a biochemistry degree is not forensic-toxicology training
Joseph Younes & Olivier Tallieu snag a $5.7 million win for a deserving client in a very tough case in San Diego Federal Court. The case came down to the toxicological evidence. The Plaintiff’s attorneys with good sense chose Okorie Okorocha, M.S., M.S., ESQ., who has actual formal education in pharmacology and toxicology. He also has formal education in forensic analysis in many matrices, as well as the interpretation.
Regretfully, the Defense selected Ed Barley as their purported “expert” in toxicology, demonstrating their complete lack of knowledge on how to evaluate toxicology credentials. Barley went to California State University Long Beach and obtained a degree in biochemistry. Those in the know are wondering what the hell that has to do with forensic toxicology, but more on that later. The entire class catalog from Barley’s tenure at Long Beach State had:
The only class provided from Barley’s tenure with “toxicology” in the title is:
*464. Environmental Toxicology (3) F Prerequisites: BIOL 210A.B. with grade of C > or better; CHEM 327. Metabolism, mode of action and detoxification mechanisms of toxic substances in organisms. Effects of pollutants, waste products, chemicals of commerce, warfare agents, drugs and narcotics on human health and the environment, their regulation and control. (Lecture 3 hours.)
The above case was not part of the biochemistry department but the biology department and has nothing to do with the forensic analyses of anything having to do with human beings!
The only 2 classes with the word “pharmacology” in it from Barley’s tenure at Long Beach State were:
A course for nursing students only (which Barley was not!):
206.## Essentials of Pharmacology (2) F,S Prerequisite. A/P 209. A systematic study of drugs, their classification, methods and routes of administration, therapeutic and toxic effects with emphasis on nursing implications. Not designed for majors in the College of Natural Sciences. Not open to students with credit in A/P 246. Same course as A/P 246. (Lecture 2 hours.)
The other long beach state class is a psychology department class (Barley was not a psychology student):
*342. Psychopharmacology (3) S Prerequisites: PSY 100, 241, or equivalent. This course offers a broad introduction to the effects of various medications on the central nervous system and behavior. This includes neurotransmitter functions, physiological and biochemical mechanisms of drug action with emphasis on the effect of psychiatric medications, common “street drugs” and those sold over the counter; their potential for abuse is also considered.
The forensic classes available at Long Beach State during that period were intended for psychology and speech students, along with a few other unrelated disciplines. No classes were offered in forensic toxicology or forensic medicine.
Barley showcases his tenure in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department as experience deserving of attention. For about 20 years, Barley’s laboratory employed inferior instruments, a practice Barley defended in court, adversely affecting tens of thousands of defendants and their attorneys across the county.
Barley served as a technician at the crime laboratory. He filled the tubes with blood, diluent, and internal standard. Inserted them into a carousel and activated a button. All other processes are entirely automated. Barley consistently conveys the impression that one is operating a spacecraft. It is a joke. A college degree is not a prerequisite to becoming a lab technician.
Furthermore, doing laboratory tests on vials from anonymous donors provides him with no insight into pharmacology or toxicology. In what manner could it occur? Barley functioned mostly as an operator for the county of Los Angeles.
Barley boasts about his attendance at the Borkenstein Institute at Indiana University. This constitutes an element of the barley deception. The Borkenstein Institute is a week-long program conducted by professionals exclusively engaged in the prosecution of DUI cases. They also instruct their kids to provide rote responses to defense inquiries. Despite Barley’s assertions, he was never enrolled at Indiana University; he was not required to submit academic transcripts; he did not need to provide standardized test scores; he did not receive a student ID number; he did not earn any transferable academic credits; and he was not obligated to take an examination to demonstrate his comprehension of the curriculum. Last but not least, the Borkenstein Institute only leases space from Indiana University; it is not a part of it. Barley has absolutely no relevant formal education. He had an equally absurd “experience” in the crime lab and other folderols. He claims in his testimony and resume that he is a “forensic alcohol supervisor” and “forensic alcohol analyst.” What the heck? No pharmacology, toxicology, or forensics classes are necessary for those fictitious titles that are used to support lab technicians’ lack of credentials, like Barley. It is a hoax used to support the unqualified status of individuals such as Barley.
Standards for evaluating forensic-toxicology qualifications and testimony
Ed Barley article series
This article is part of a series examining the site’s published commentary about Ed Barley’s qualifications, testimony, and alleged professional conduct. Related articles address distinct issues:
- Ed Barley’s Alleged No-Shows Leave L.A. County Defenders Scrambling
- Ed Barley’s Shifting BAC Testimony and Forensic-Toxicology Credibility Problems
- Ed Barley’s Reputation, Alleged No-Shows and Flawed BAC Testimony
- Why Ed Barley’s Credentials Do Not Establish Formal Toxicology Training
For the broader legal and scientific framework, review Forensic Toxicology Legal Representation and the Forensic Toxicology topic hub.
