Latest News on Forensic Science and Criminal Law
-
Join 222 other subscribers
Category Archives: criminal justice reform
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
Forensics: regulating junk forensic expertise continues in Texas; other states lagging; from ‘Grits for Breakfast’
Top 10 junk forensic sciences challenged in Texas In the wake of the Forensic Science Commission declaring blood-spatter evidence in a 30-year old murder case “not accurate or scientifically supported,” Texas has lately again been getting deserved credit as a national leader on forensic … Continue reading
NIJ Forensics 2018: page 10 deprecates exonerations from criminal convictions aided by unvalidated methods
The US federal look on the forensic issues relating to convictions of innocent defendants is on page 10. Its mostly platitudes and clearly misdirects the reader to consider that stats used by innocence litigators are flawed. The article’s mainstays are, … Continue reading
Science versus police forensics’ “reasonable medical certainty” mythology.
For those unaware, the cop forensics use of “individualization” for pattern-matchers ain’t science. These authors explain why in simple terms for all of us. https://judicialstudies.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/JUDICATURE102.1-THOMPSON-etal-1.pdf
Bias in Cop and Forensic Investigations …….
…….reads like my first 10 years of training from the bitemarkers at the ABFO. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6386/243.full
Forensics: RAND study says pre-arrest forensics usually ignored
This data driven look at governmental says the use of physical evidence before arrest is lacking. Testing happening after arrest is not considered independent and is used merely to confirm prosecutorial conclusions. Some may be shocked at this The authors have … Continue reading
