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.

“Top 5 Junky Forensic ‘Sciences,’ or, ‘Why are forensics under fire now?’ “

The veteran law enforcement, law and science blogger at Grits for Breakfast’ in TX has some sharp points to make about his picks for the worst in forensic methods. There are more than just bitemark “interpreters” which he includes in this list. … Continue reading →

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More Forensic Problems in Oregon

2d state labsite has police looking into a coverup involving an examiner’s exaggerating results.  http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2015/09/another_crime_lab_workers_evid.html

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Oregon crime lab has a drug problem

oregonlive.com 

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Australia: NSW sued for AU$2.3m after corrupt detective causes wrongful conviction

Originally posted on Wrongful Convictions Blog:
Roseanne Beckett, wrongly convicted for conspiracy to kill her husband in 1991, served 10 years of her 12 year sentence. She finally overturned her conviction in 2005. This month, 26 years later, she successfully…

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Editorial: Taking another bite out of junk science in the Texas criminal justice system

“In numerous instances, experts diverge widely in their evaluations of the same bite mark evidence, which has led to questioning of the value and scientific objectivity of such evidence.” The Dallas Daily News  

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Police Misconduct Responsible for Famous Wrongful Conviction in Australia

Originally posted on Wrongful Convictions Blog:
The case of Andrew Mallard (pictured here) will be well known to those in Australia – he was wrongly convicted in 1995 of the murder of two women in Western Australia, spending 12 years…

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Altering the playing field of Forensic DNA statistics to bring major changes to criminal justice cases

  The phrase “don’t mess with Texas” surely is true. The state’s Department of Public Safety Forensic Science Commission’s new stance on crime lab DNA mixture outcomes surely is going to bounce around the county like a flash bang grenade. … Continue reading →

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US judiciary has blinders on when its allows egregious use of junk experts regardless of Constitutional protections

Even when exoneration cases have proven forensic experts wrong (the first 200 exons had a 57% error rate of the participating forensic types :Brandon Garrett, Judging Innocence, 108 COLUMBIA L. REV. 55, 107 (2007)), the US courts’ reliance on precedent … Continue reading →

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Another Amazing Story of Texas Justice being Brought to Task by DNA and Evidence Destruction

Years after being freed from death row, East Texas man fights to clear name This story is decades long and runs from Dallas, the Texas Monthly, Smith County Texas to New York and back. Now its all about motions for … Continue reading →

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More on fire science and the Scientific American article “Can we trust crime forensics”

Originally posted on FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends:
A FLAMIMG MAGICIAN DETECTING THE REAL CRIMINAL (NOTE THE DISPARATE PARTICIPANTS OF THE LINEUP). From the Scientific American Aug 18 2015 The bloom is certainly off the flower, when…

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