In the world of 2014 forensic news, this story should endup in the top 10. A book writer’s chief science consultant to the claim ole Jack was the immigrant Kominski just took a hit from a number of scientific notables and online scientific sleuths. A common allele with a marker not suitable for identification was mis-labeled. “Jack the Ripper: Scientist who claims to have identified notorious killer have ‘made serious DNA error’ .” The book’s publisher now claims the “DNA” gaff isn’t that important. Reports say the writer spent $700K for a scarf from a Ripper victim. See how wrongful convictions occur. Improper use of statistics appears to be the biggest problem with DNA tech.
Read about over 1,400 exonerations at this terrific site. Written by Puliltzer winner Maurice Possley. The National Registry of Exonerations . Many have the odd component of DNA science debunking other forensic methods. Other aspects are faulty eyewitness testimony and prosecutorial misconduct.
Prosecutorial misconduct: Judge vacates convictions in Akron quadruple homicide; DA whines about it later.
Forensic experts get sued. David Camm to seek $30M for wrongful conviction http://cjky.it/1kQtytZ This is a leading topic of expert liability that seems to have been missed by ‘elite’ forensic orgs like the Amer Acad of Forensic Sciences.
Some of these cases have ended up in civil court after innocence has been proven. List of erroneous convictions from bitemarks: in “Forensic Science Testimony.”
Current case being litigated by Bennie Starks against two esteemed AAFS bitemark experts. “Victim of junk science caused 23 year incarceration sues 2 experts in bitemark identification.”
