Category Archives: criminal justice reform
Forensics: Another grassroots attempt to establish a Forensic Science Commission in Wisconsin. This paper written by PhD candidates.
http://www.sciencepolicyjournal.org/uploads/5/4/3/4/5434385/bratburd.pdf The LEO crime labs won’t like this intrusion on their domains. A 2005-2008 study suggesting similar went nowhere in the WI legislature.
Forensics: Excuses for using inaccurate dental ageing methods fill this interview with University of Texas adjunct professor Dr. David Senn
The UT system made $16,000 so far this year from ICE cases involving children claiming to be children. The method is quite popular with the man hired to do it. He also considers ” bitemark matching” to be useful for … Continue reading
Forensics: UK police love this “conclusive” bitemark opinion – DNA never gets mentioned
Five teeth out of 32 seems enough for everyone in this murder conviction in the UK. The dentist looks satisfied on the video. (the 3rd video in the article). Problems about expert error rates, etc., always go out the window … Continue reading
The Senseless Legal Precedent That Enables Wrongful Convictions | The New Republic
The top of the legal pyramid in the US claim Constitutional rights and associated case law do not “extend” to pre-trial negotiations. This affects 95% of criminal cases that occur in the country. This regressive thinking puts other cases influencing … Continue reading
Forensics: Grits for Breakfast: Most crime labs accused innocent person in DNA mixture study
Grits for Breakfast: Most crime labs accused innocent person in DNA mixture study — Read on gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2018/09/most-crime-labs-accused-innocent-person.html The dark side of the NIST DNA mis-identification report covered in my last blog. Subterfuge and disclaimers to quash use in court by … Continue reading
Forensics: Another expert with 40 hours of training recants his own testimony
.https://www.propublica.org/article/blood-spatter-expert-robert-thorman-joe-bryan-case/amp?__twitter_impression=true Blood-Spatter Expert in Joe Bryan Case Says “My Conclusions Were Wrong” The expert whose testimony was key to Bryan’s conviction for his wife’s 1985 murder says he now believes that some of his techniques were incorrect. His admission comes … Continue reading
In Las Vegas, Embattled Forensic Experts Respond to Scandals and Flawed Convictions
Has forensics moved forward in 2 years since thus was posted by The Intercept? Retrenchment of government resistance still doesn’t recognize forensic weaknesses and forensic flim flam. Courts are very inconsistent in their “gatekeeping.” Post conviction litigation about junk forensics … Continue reading
Scientific Terminology Explained | Forensic Science in North Carolina
If you’d like to learn more about scientific terminology, Duke Law student Logan Johnson interviewed toxicologist Dr. Jay Gehlhausen about terminology that attorneys might encounter when reviewing scientific evidence. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between reproducibility and … Continue reading
Grits for Breakfast: Changes to DNA-mixture software raise questions about old versions
Grits for Breakfast: Changes to DNA-mixture software raise questions about old versions — Read on gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2018/08/changes-to-dna-mixture-software-raise.html
Forensics: Want a BS excuse for “bad forensics”? Blame it on “bad apples.”
This is truly ridiculous counterpoint to forensic science reform, but the forensic industry and its associated prosecutors take it as gospel. The medical profession used claims of “perfection” in the 18th century when they used to bleed patients to death … Continue reading
