Category Archives: CSI

ABQ PD uses a “partial DNA match” to put the wrong man in jail for 14 months

And here is how they got the wrong guy. “After settling a lawsuit, the police department changed its procedure. Officers must now explain how strong the DNA match is for any potential suspect before a judge agrees to issue a … Continue reading

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Forensics: Is the US military capable of reliably identifying remains from the USS Oklahoma?

This is a very sensitive topic as it is about identifying remains of 388 US Navy and Marine Corps personnel killed on the USS Oklahoma during the Pearl Harbor attack by Japanese aircraft in the morning of December 7, 1941. … Continue reading

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“No preset rules in DNA Forensics”: examples of errors and doubts in DNA casework that juries must tackle.

This does not read like CSI Miami. Wait, that one got cancelled. Thank you Jesus. “A 2013 survey by the National Institute of Standards and Technology asked analysts from 108 labs to look at a three-person mixture and determine if … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, criminal justice, CSI, death penalty, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, Forensic Science, police crime labs, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The “Reverse CSI Effect” and imperfect aspects of LCN DNA ignored ; The Marshall Project

The best journalism on this subject I have so far seen in print. From the Marshall Project Comments: It describes the influence of DNA popularity with juries juries amounting to I call a “Reverse CSI Effect.” The original CSI effect (according … Continue reading

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UK Forensics : Innocence Project is putting a stop to wrongful convictions across the world

Donate to the Innocent Project California Innocence Project: Mississippi IP  New York IP  ======================================= “There is no question there are wrongful convictions all over the world. There’s no country that is free from wrongful convictions and no country that would … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, DNA profiling, exoneration, Exoneration costs, forensic testimony, junk forensic science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Forensics : DNA inconsistencies slowly are rising into public view

It’s not only pattern analysis that can be fallible – how about DNA? Its mostly about DNA mixtures, stat protocols and inconsistency of multiple analysts. via @ForensicOdont Read more. A commercial lab’s technical paper has more on this. “Mixture interpretation. … Continue reading

Posted in criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias | 1 Comment

Excellent Canadian article on problematic forensics

This is a great piece which echoes others involved in forensic science reform. One statement rings true regarding juries/judges having to interpret exaggerating and conflicting experts. m.thestar.com/#/article/news/crime/2015/06/12/why-its-so-hard-to-keep-bad-forensics-out-of-the-courtroom.html?referrer=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FGmxX8xrGfu

Posted in Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA profiling, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, junk forensic science, National FOrensic Science Commission, police crime labs, Ray Krone bitemark case, US Crime labs, wrongful convictions | Leave a comment

US forensic group’s new research explodes its own credibility. They then stumble into the denial and blame game. Again.

The Watch Radley Balko April 8, 2015 A bite mark matching advocacy group just conducted a study that discredits bite mark evidence In February, I posted a four-part series on the forensic speciality of bite mark analysis. The series looked … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, CSI, expert testimony, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Examples where Forensic language and the media lead to misinformation and confusion for juries.

How things have changed? The term “similar’ used in fiber analysis case. http://www.forensicmag.com/news/2015/06/forensic-scientist-testifies-fibers-victims-hair-similar-distant-carpet But then another case uses “unique” to describe a broken car headlight. http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/forensic-expert-certain-car-on-cctv-belonged-to-sheffield-man-accused-of-murder-1-7305526 What the “CSI effect looks like on “Bones” TV show. Accuracy in forensics not a … Continue reading

Posted in criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, expert testimony, forensic testimony, National FOrensic Science Commission | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Texas releases another death row inmate | The FBI ‘conspires’ with the Innocence Project on Forensic Reform

Misconduct by prosecution authorities is jus t one of the contributing causes of wrong convictions. Texas leads the nation in exonerations. Read about another man taken off death row. As a rebuff to what some US forensic dentists write about regarding “conspiracies” against … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, Civil rights, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, exoneration, Exoneration costs, prosecutorial misconduct | Leave a comment