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Category Archives: AAFS
A lesson about scientific proofs vs. “causation beliefs” use in courts
This written appellate opinion sums up the challenge of “gatekeepers” (the judges) at the trial level filtering out expert witness bombast of opinion from actual scientific “causation.” The bombast in the forensic field of testimony can be seen in the … Continue reading
Retribution in criminal justice reform
“In (the) battle over Nebraska’s death penalty, victims’ families refuse to be political pawns” by @lilianasegura at The Intercept. This parallels California’s upcoming vote to abolish the death penalty. There probably will also be a pro-death penalty measure on the … Continue reading
Trouble with teeth and the better side of new forensic research – National Geographic
A general review of past police forensic methods that led to wrongful convictions and the newer development in forensics that could change criminalistic communities. Genetic phenotyping for facial reconstruction being the hottest topic in the media. Full article: The Trouble With … Continue reading
Another obstinate and proudly relentless prosecutor from Louisiana
On to Louisiana and its about a death penalty conviction for child murder. “Dale Cox (pictured above) was the Louisiana prosecutor against Crawford (the defendant), a case which rested almost exclusively on the testimony of a state forensic pathologist who claimed … Continue reading
Unfounded calculation assumptions in LifeCode DNA testimony: 2016 SC ruling in Simmons
VACATED IN PART AND REMANDED A telling tale with highlights of the court’s opine on DNA testimony from the commercial DNA lab LifeCodes reveals what forensic malfeasance or misconduct or “puffing results” really means. Lets say that over selling “science” … Continue reading
Forensics: Rehab program for academics caught cooking research data shows trends
This is certainly food for thought for those folks who consider academics and researchers above reproach. “Criminality” may be an overstatement in most cases, so maybe “misconduct” could be combined with “ineptitude.” I’ve seen intellectual dishonesty quite popular with the … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, Bad forensic science, criminal justice
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The bloom is off forensic DNA’s infallibility – Scientific American
Eric Frimpong and Santa Barbara defense attorney Robert Sanger in 2008. With the FBI making a step to reel in its history of wayward forensic conclusions, Scientific American wades into the “restructuring” of DNA opinions in much the same way. … Continue reading
Forensic look at death penalty statistics: 25% of exonerated were on Death Row
A 2013 infographic study by the California Innocence Project puts the cost in California at a staggering $4 billion since 1978. Statistics contained in this report, when overlayed with the national increase of exonerations ( now at 1793) , in the … Continue reading
Washington DC crime lab continues to coverup its law enforcement bungles
Backstory before the story about guns walking away from the DC crime lab. After a sweetheart period with its “independence” from LEO management via its multi-million dollar facility up grade and hiring forensic scientist Max Houck to run … Continue reading
The Mississippi Sting operation that uncovered Michael West’s bitemark bunk
One of the extraordinary defense presentations at the recent EL Howard hearing in Columbus MS was given by the Honorable Chris Plourd (pictured above), the presiding Judge of Imperial County, CA Superior Court. Judge Plourd rose to the bench in … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime lab scandal, Dr. Michael West, exoneration, Ray Krone bitemark case, wrongful convictions
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, AMERICAN BOARD OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY, Bad forensic science, forensic examiner error, Forensic science, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions
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