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.

Forensic racism suggests “blinding” case details as a cure.

Here’s a new level of nastiness. The above is an example of scientific racism reported from the forensic anthro post Ancestry, Race and Anthropology. A new example from Iowa. From the Desmoines-Register A thistle to former state forensic scientist Amy Pollpeter, who expressed blatantly racist sentiments on social … Continue reading

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A critical look at the Pistorius case and its phony forensic experts

From the NEWS HUB: excerpt: State witness Mangena- Not an expert at all Police captain Chris Mangena said Pistorius was standing on his stumps nearly three metres from a locked toilet door when he opened fire and killed his girlfriend. … Continue reading

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When crime labs go rogue. Safety suffers. Honesty seems more doubtful.

Originally posted on FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends:
Max Houck (@maxmhouck) used to run the Washington DC Forensic Science facility which then boasted as being “independent” a la Houston’s Forensic Science Center. Above is his Twitter response…

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When crime labs go rogue. Safety suffers. Honesty seems more doubtful.

Max Houck (@maxmhouck) used to run the Washington DC Forensic Science facility which then boasted as being “independent” a la Houston’s Forensic Science Center. Above is his Twitter response to and post about police managers refusing an open and transparent scientific … Continue reading

Posted in criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA mixtures | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

False forensic testing adds to growing mistrust of cops, their labs and prosecutors

A couple of telling articles call again for the public to understand how the relationship between cops , their crime labs and prosecutors lead to false convictions via intimidating suspects into pleading guilty via misused field testing kits. Barry Scheck … Continue reading

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Forensic Standards bill could “transform” forensic science and get rid of bitemark IDs

A new bill introduced last week in the US Congress could put some “teeth” into creating and then enforcing federal standards for the practice of 11 forensic disciplines either criticized or debunked (aka bitemark pattern testimony) by the 2009 National … Continue reading

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StingRay surveillance gets hit in court; Flawed forensics and legal outcomes

NEW YORK LEGAL AID SOCIETY dna NEWSLETTER July 19 2016 Federal judge suppresses evidence collected by warrantless StingRay cell-site simulator device in NY drug case. In his decision, U.S. District Judge William Pauley wrote: “Absent a search warrant, the Government may … Continue reading

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Under the Microscope: Webinar in Hair Reviews

Hear about 40 years of junk forensic testimony in the US.

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“Field tests” of forensic evidence a presumptive disaster: inaccuracies prejudice 1000’s

The genesis of forensic analysis or “testing in the field” probably goes back to….. Sherlock Holmes  Criminal sleuthing at a crime scene or during an investigatory “police stop” is a popular topic in the forensic science commercial laboratory R&D industry. Taking the … Continue reading

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Texas Symposium on Exonerations, bad forensics, bad prosecutions and the death penalty.

Anyone out there knowing a DA supporting the death penalty as a secure means of doling out proper justice in the US might do well to send him/her the information flyer showing the topics being discussed in Houston this August. … Continue reading

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