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.

A federal prosecutor’s technical spy expert gets some egg in a high-level espionage case dismissal

In a rare example of feds turning from a prosecution, with all their tech resources in science, the recently dismissed spy charges against  US Temple University physics professor Xi Xiaoxing is rare. He was accused of sending technical information [ … Continue reading →

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Forensic Science from many different directions, some not so much “science”

I will kill Radovan Krejcir if he escapes, says forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan. The expert who sleuths with the police and may be taking things a bit too far regarding being a “neutral” spectator of fact and science. 300 episodes of “CSI” … Continue reading →

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Illinois State Police lab has some validation problems – toxicology

Sounds like these labs exist in a parallel universe of sloppy machines  and unvalidation. 2 SD deviation of results is OK? Who is running this show?  http://abc7chicago.com/news/forensic-failures-at-state-crime-labs-may-jeopardize-cases/998927/

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Forensics: Police “Predictive Data” used to intimidate persons with criminal past or who hang out with “bad people”

Sounds like a crime preventive measure that so far hasn’t had a published cutoff threshold for separating innocent from the real perps. I bet once you are picke up in this archive of “suspicious types” it will probably be permanent. … Continue reading →

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Oregon Governor investigates state crime labs

http://www.katu.com/politics/Gov-Brown-forms-workgroup-to-evaluate-crime-lab-procedures-329562621.html?mobile=y  

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The Writ of Habeas of Corpus in tatters lays obstacles for appeals and exonerations.

The Demise of Habeas Corpus and the Rise of Qualified Immunity: The Court’s Ever Increasing Limitations on the Development and Enforcement of Constitutional Rights and Some Particularly Unfortunate Consequences Stephen R. Reinhardt* The collapse of habeas corpus as a remedy … Continue reading →

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Respected DNA experts Rudin, Inman, and Seigel weigh into DC Crime Lab politics and DNA “secret” statistics”

The following is an excerpt of some of the juicer parts of a in-depth after action article by Norah Rudin and Keith Inman in the California Association of Criminalists news letter. They dissect (the long article with accompanying documents starts … Continue reading →

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Behind closed doors of Scientific Academia: How (not) to Science

This goes beyond funny to be incredibly sad or whatever you wanna call it. How To Science As Told By 17 Overly Honest Scientists BuzzFeed from 2013 Thanks to @MaxmHouck Originally from The Tusoan 

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The US Congress/Executive Office needs to step in: Forensic Labs must correct wrong DNA mixture analyses

Here is direct commentary from Friday’s Texas Forensic Commission’s DNA focus group on what to do with adjusting ( i.e. dialing it back from over its optimistic past) DNA mixture analysis. Below, Grits describes the quandary of DNA being this forensic … Continue reading →

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Fighting Forensic Junk Science taking place in Dallas Texas: Let’s talk science not quackery, promises and lies

In response to chilling mistakes and misdeeds involving the execution of Todd Willingham and the 25 year false incarceration of Michael Morton, things are changing regarding forensic experts in one US state. It is note worthy that nearly 50% (154 … Continue reading →

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bitemarks, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, exoneration, Forensic Science, forensic science reform | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment