Category Archives: CSI

Latest on #SandraBland investigation | From @MarshallProj

What happened inside Cell 95? A Texas official says police are investigating the death of Sandra Bland as a murder, but videotape from the jail shows no one entering her cell during the critical moments before she was found hanged. … Continue reading

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Bitemarks in child abuse case reveals how skin injury patterns vary dramatically on a single victim

This amazing article  documents how human bite marks on a single victim, arguably by one suspect, are extremely inconsistent in pattern, shape of tooth marks and other details. Here’s a few questions. Would you look at the bite marks before … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, CSI | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Justice Kozinski on Lying Police and more on forensic science and CJ “guesswork”

EVIDENCE OF POLICE DISHONESTY LEADS TO OVERTURNED CONVICTIONS NATIONWIDE Here are some quotes from a justice of the US Ninth Circuit of Appeals. Justice  Alex Kozinski talks about police misconduct and worse in the Debra Milke case. “The Ninth Circuit … Continue reading

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Bizzaro lawsuit claims ex crime lab tech driven to suicide.

I had no idea 1980s crime labbers used their own semen as referenced control samples. This one’s ended up found in a cold case murder investigation. http://www.cbs8.com/story/29569783/widow-of-ex-sdpd-crime-lab-employee-files-wrongful-death-lawsuit

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DC crime lab gets ex-FBI lab manager as its new chief.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/district-expected-to-name-new-head-of-embattled-dna-lab-officials-say/2015/07/16/e4379528-2bf5-11e5-a5ea-cf74396e59ec_story.html

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Forensics: Causes of death stranger than seen on CSI

Death by “microwave.” A Forensic Sci Int abstract of a paper on human carbonization by drug traffickers. Subscription needed 24 hour access costs $31.50. Strangulation homicide staged as a suicide by hanging. Cost the same as #1. For those so inclined … Continue reading

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Philippine Forensics: Dust-up over 1995 manner of death of a US Naval Officer

The officer’s family disputes suicide findings of multiple US and Phil criminal investigators. They brought in a “US forensic expert” who has an interesting pedigree. I wonder how much he charged the family for services? Full article A massive PR piece … Continue reading

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At what price, freedom? The moral challenges in forensic testifying. Some win and some fail miserably.

At what price, freedom?. An opinion article about expert witness integrity and examples of some total failures in the forensic science industry. From Dr. Mary Beth Hauptle, the most experienced forensic investigator dentist in the US. I am serious.

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Mini-police crime labs sprouting up all over thanks to the American Soc of Crime Labs

Somebody needs to tell this Winston-Salem police chief how “speedy crime lab tests” (to avoid huge delays from the state lab) might not work out so well in some circumstances. The “speedy trial” reward for being “speedy” in that his … Continue reading

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FORENSICS: What is a “partial DNA match?” Or, what ARE we talking about here?

This blog follows the event of the Albuquerque police using a “partial DNA match” sufficient to hold a man in jail for 17 months.   The news release from New Mexico is vague about what the police are changing in their … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Forensic Science, criminal justice, CSI, DNA profiling, Forensic Science | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment