Category Archives: costs of wrongful convictions

The culture of forensic lab fraud and incompetence continues to damage lives

Massachusetts set to dismiss up to 24,000 cases. (Drug testing) Florida has 2600 affected cases. (Fingerprints) Texas DNA lab may have up to 5,000 affected cases. Ohio crime lab tech may have 30 years of suspicious and prosecution biased casework.  … Continue reading

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Crime lab scandals reach the UK – Two labbers arrested – 484 cases questioned

Police to review 484 cases after criminal probe launched at private forensics laboratory This affects police work involving toxicology in the UK. The years since demobilization of the government owned Forensic Science Service have not been nice. Standards “have been … Continue reading

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Bitemarkers double-down with a “pay-to-play” membership drive #AAFS2017

The on-going American Academy of Forensic Science meeting in New Orleans is a wealth of information on how its varied membership and disciplines manage their little fiefdoms every year. The bitemarkers (American Board of Forensic Odontology) membership numbers are dwindling. … Continue reading

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PCAST ‘withering under intellectual scrutiny’ = #Alternativefacts #Forensic #Science

I’ve been waiting for this rag to come out with this type of mendacious Alt-Speak about the scientific efforts focused on forensics by the US Congress, National Academy of Sciences, and Obama’s Executive branch. This scrutiny (by established empirical scientists … Continue reading

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Another reviewer looks at “Forensic Science Reform: Protecting the Innocent”

This one is from Brandon Garrett, Professor of Law at University of Virginia. He is the author of “Convicting the Innocent: Where Prosecutions Go Wrong. (2011). Reviews “There is a revolution in forensic science in this country and this book … Continue reading

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For the discerning public: Read ALL the #forensic orgs that opposed PCAST standards

With two exceptions being the Innocence Project  and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The AAFS was rather tentative. PUBLISHED STATEMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE PCAST REPORT ON FORENSIC SCIENCE IN CRIMINAL COURTS After the release of PCAST’s report … Continue reading

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Narrative on forensics NAS/PCAST vs the world of law enforcement

This look hits most of the highs and lows of contentious statements from law enforcement after the President’s Council took on their established police forensic turf. It does mention wrongful convictions stemming from overrated forensic ‘science’ which seemed left out … Continue reading

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Another ridiculous bitemark case emerges into public view after 30+ years

The evidence: I’m assisting in two other cases attempting to eradicate junk science within criminal courts. This third case is an example of similar arguments during an adversarial hearing combining attempts to test new DNA evidence and publish research debunking … Continue reading

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The cost of Austin crime lab failure reaches $6.5 – $14 million estimates

Regardless of the politicians assurances, this taxpayer cost will surely go up to  include whatever additional legal costs that occur over the propose next five years. Its 12 years worth of crime lab cases. So far, no one has blamed … Continue reading

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It’s a good start. The $2 drug tests are great for law enforcement drug warriors, but not much good for anyone else.

More Prosecutors Refuse To Accept Guilty Pleas Based On Faulty $2 Field Drug Tests Latest on cheapo, error prone drug tests apparently going south in Oregon. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20161206/15130336213/more-prosecutors-refuse-to-accept-guilty-pleas-based-faulty-2-field-drug-tests.shtml

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