This is Dr. Mary and Peter Bush, from the U of Buffalo. Their recent series of research papers have given the ABFO bitemark “skin-readers” a real headache.

The great state of Texas will be taking a microscopic look at bitemarks. Texas was a hot bed of bitemark convictions and plea deals influenced by this discredited evidence. It even has a case called Coronado which a few years ago said bitemark “matching” was Aok. There also have been executions which relied on bitemark opinions to establish the perpetrator’s identity. See a case I consulted on 7 days before the inmate, Humberto Leal, was executed. Leal_Affidavit_Bowers

Let’s see if the bitemark group, the American Board of Forensic Odontology, cooperates on this review. They have always stonewalled requests for independent case reviews of their “bad” cases claiming “bad apples” were to blame. It sounds like TX is going to look at their “good” cases as well.  If the ABFO ignores this latest and the first state action of this kind, then maybe the American Academy of Forensic Sciences will step up and force them. Or maybe the Attorney General of Texas will subpoena all the casework and take depositions of the bitemark experts involved.

Full article from Texas.