Monthly Archives: June 2014

#Forensics – Body Snatching in Norway, Dishonest ex-Brooklyn DA, Crime Scene DNA Contamination, Faked Crime Lab Results

Shades of Burke and Hare in 1800  Edinburgh. Body snatching in Norway. Or maybe its “body part” snatching.” Researchers removed organs from 1,000 dead Norwegians without consent http://tinyurl.com/oz3o7u8  via @allvoices Criminals leave no prints behind. Over 30,000 PA suspects and … Continue reading

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#Forensics – Data-driven forensic science versus the Sherlock Holmes “ipse dixit” version in use today

Personal experience tells us that being a “smart consumer,” means we should use products and goods that have been tested at the factory, retested by the government (FDA, Dept. of Transportation, Consumer Digest, Ralph Nader (sorta ) and other independent … Continue reading

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Republican Governors Association and The South Carolina GOP Launch Campaign Demonizing Candidate For His Work As A Criminal Defense Lawyer

More on revoking a defendants right to a fair defense. JONATHAN TURLEY We have recently discussed attacks on lawyers for simply doing their jobs in representing accused individuals. It is truly vile and McCarthyist trend that seeks to punish professional … Continue reading

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How NOT to do a forensic interview. From 2004.

Sometimes being interviewed can result in unexpected consequences. Try one of my best, from 2004. The Q and A format is trite but provided me with some opportunities.  ========================================================== “Dr. Bowers has an amazingly good sense of humor. We requested … Continue reading

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Scientists create trepidation in certain forensic subjects. Target: Bitemarks

Here is a series of 2 posts by Dr. David Averill who is an ex-member and a past president (1995) of  the dental bitemark group, the ABFO. His posts are from February 2011. They contain:  1) the effect of recent … Continue reading

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Forensic Experts, outed by DNA as being unreliable in the 2009 NAS Report, ignore their failed cases.

Dr. Michael West was once known as a world-renowned forensic odontologist. His robust resume overflowed with case credentials from the FBI and Scotland Yard. Police and prosecutors from across this nation purchased his expert witness services, earning him accolades in … Continue reading

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Forensic Science Isn’t Science: Why juries hear—and trust—so much biased, unreliable, inaccurate evidence.

  Excellent Op-ED from SLATE on this serious subject relating to US public safety and  the US criminal justice system (CJS). Talks about wrongful executions, various types of cognitive biases and the lack of coordination between CJS, law enforcement and … Continue reading

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Bitemark case spurs judicial reform in CA., intimidation in forensics continues, + more

Forensic reform in California based in part on another bitemark case.  2011: Bitemark experts sue forensic lecturer regarding mention of Bennie Starks’ vacated conviction case. Later became a full exoneration when the DA dropped lesser remaining charges. The plantiffs in … Continue reading

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More professional harassment of forensic experts, this time a pathologist. Plus political action spurred by bitemark case.

This is becoming commonplace. Another forensic expert gets job slammed for testifying against a Prosecutor’s “theory” of a case. CA: Prosecutors Suppress a Mountain of Evidence in Shaky Murder Case  Read about other examples of professional harassment of forensic experts both … Continue reading

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Who Pays the price for a False Forensic Identification? Plus Jack the Ripper is Backkkk , Cognitive Bias in Forensics.

When a forensic expert’s opinion on identification runs up against DNA. Who pays the price? http://bitemarks.org/  Expert testimony on eyewitness testimony allowed in state Supreme court. Experts on false confesses rejected. “the advent of DNA evidence, as well as hundreds of … Continue reading

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