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.

Recent Rash of US Exonerations Only the Surface: Many More Remain Wrongfully Imprisoned : Forensic Science contributions

  Jeffrey Deskovic, an exoneree himself (NY), writes about the increase in wrongful convictions being overturned in the US from a very personal perspective. He focuses on the root causes of these injustices such as incentivised witnesses (aka snitches), prosecutorial … Continue reading

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The Nasty World of forensic dentistry bitemark opinions – Forensic News from the US

The Nasty world of bitemark opinions. At least five cases of forensic lab misconduct in the last 2 years. Some ballistics and trace exams discontinued as “too time consuming.” Most trace is merely associative  (not identifying a specific person or … Continue reading

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Recent forensic science news and cases from around the world

CASES False hope w/out DNA. Bitemarks hold key to solving Hamilton car park assault case Forensic Experts Identify Remains of One of Mexico’s Missing Students. Forensics Team in Mexico Confirms Remains of 1 of 43 Missing Students- Why are there no … Continue reading

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Top #Forensic Blogs of 2014

And the Most Popular : Forensic Science Misconduct: A Dark and Cautionary Tale | @csidds http://wp.me/p2BoEX-lv via @csidds

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An example of the “finality of verdict” mentality of police and DAs in the US : They ‘deep six’ the evidence

Sorry to use the “deep six” phrase (verrry unprofessional) but it surely applies to this growing track record of the various Innocence Project Network (IPN) investigation cases litigating suspected wrongful convictions. They are told the evidence used to convict no … Continue reading

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#Forensics in Focus : US experts not helping in Mexico Massacre, more forensic inaccuracies in the media …………

New DNA test can specifically identify the difference between identical twins.  Where are the US forensic experts in this? Austrian forensic experts may shed light on Mexico massacre  via @reuters Once more, so much for media accuracy in forensics. Security experts doubt … Continue reading

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DNA versus ABFO bitemark opinion and the FBI CODIS gaff denies chance to find the real murderer

Click picture for Gerard’s post exoneration video The NY Innocence Projects’s fight to identify a murderer is blocked by a ridiculous FBI rule about “lawyer lab certification.” All this started with another wrongful conviction ( N=1480 at the National Registry … Continue reading

Posted in ABFO, Bitemarks, criminal justice, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

#Forensics in Michael Brown shooting : Chaos, uncertainty and confusion in the Press and now….Silence?

Originally posted on FORENSICS and LAW in FOCUS @ CSIDDS | News and Trends:
Summary and comment: The staid demeanor of most forensic science CSI shows and public conventions has been contradicted  by the explosion of news media coverage of forensics related…

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Despite DNA, California Courts say Expert testimony is “merely an opinion” and “can’t be false”

FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM This past year has been a tremendous success for the California Innocence Project on many fronts, from successes in the courtroom to increased media and public awareness of our cause and mission.  2014 also saw success in … Continue reading

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Forensic science review : 40 years of assuming “unique dental profiling” now considered unproven – AGAIN

The vagaries of what is “science” is a topic of interest to historians and those in the science business as part of their training. “Scientific advance” is what is expected to be the outcome. An odd variant is when some … Continue reading

Posted in Bitemarks, criminal justice, forensic science reform, Ray Krone bitemark case, Wrongful Conviction | Tagged , | Leave a comment