Author Archives: csidds

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About csidds

Dr. Michael Bowers is a long time forensic consultant in the US and international court systems.

In case you are Bugged Out about forensic entymology

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Looking at how understaffed crime labs prioritize their rape testing

MISSOULA –An investigation by the Montana Board of Crime Control uncovers more than 1,400 sexual assault kits containing victims DNA have gone untested, sitting forgotten in evidence rooms for years. video  A $2 million grant awarded to the Montana Department … Continue reading →

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Research on the history of Lynching in some very Republican Southern States

Someone in Donald Trumps’ circle of law enforcement influence said that “quelling” of public demonstrations is in order. Here’s a bit of some background about such self-righteous use of power and influence to subordinate other citizens’ rights. In his 1867 … Continue reading →

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Very good look at cross-exam of crime scene responders to NC police shooting

Another case right out of “Making A Murderer.” Most of this courtroom questioning is textbook but the reporter did a good job of presenting the gist of what the policeman’s (Slager) defense lawyer is trying to do. This is a … Continue reading →

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Population studies on the Differential Diagnoses present with SBS ‘triad’

A telling look at how medical expert wits years of declaring homicidal child deaths were talking through their hats about their ‘confidence.’  This Swedish collation of studies actually collected circumstances within existing pop studies containing adequate sampling of case data. … Continue reading →

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Forensics and Law: Justice reform and litigation – WrongConvBlog

(NY) The Wall Street Journal: For Victims’ Families, the Torment of Exoneration… Forensics Forum (blog): Forensics and Fallibility… The New York Times: Facing Death, Brooklyn District Attorney Spoke of Doing What ‘Is Right’… The Intercept: 25 Years After Junk Science … Continue reading →

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The ups and downs of crime lab public funding initiatives

It’s a reject in Lorain County Ohio. It’s a go in NM for its new state crime lab. Ex-cop crime scene analyst gets grilled over ballistics evidence in Scott police shooting.      

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Election non-relief: Judges allowing risky “probably” forensic opinions

Bitemarks lead the list: NIST speaker reveals……. Conference: The 5 Problems That Stand Between Scientists and the Courtroom [excerpt:] Epstein showed the results of a recent survey of odonatologists that asked three questions about the reliability of bite marks. The … Continue reading →

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PCAST: Much to consider about forensic certainties largely beyond police training

The instantaneous rejection of the latest Executive Office’s forensic review revealed much about the deniers. This discussion on likelihoods of forensic success or failure from the ‘Einstein Institute’ leads me to wonder if the US cohorts of lawyers: DAs, Attorney … Continue reading →

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CSI effect on prosecutors, defense counsel and plea bargains

An important look at the 95% of criminal cases that end up plea bargains. By Garrett and Mitchell However, a CSI effect could be more consequential if it affects how criminal lawyers assess forensic evidence when they negotiate pleas or … Continue reading →

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