Category Archives: death penalty

Exonerations in the News: the myth of “worst of the worst”

Justin Brooks and Brian Banks From the WrongfulConvictionsBlog Michigan Radio: Poor and black more likely to be wrongfully convicted… Star Tribune: Innocence Project questions Thomas Rhodes’ murder conviction in wife’s death near Spicer… Nebraska Radio Network: Kirk Bloodsworth brings his … Continue reading

Posted in criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, human rights violations, William Richards Exoneration Case, wrongful convictions | Tagged | Leave a comment

The underbelly of science vs police science arguments in the News

A former D.C. public defender has written an Op-Ed on Counterpunch.org titled, “Corrupted Evidence: How the Department of Justice is Blocking Forensic Evidence Reform” “Junk Science? —Legal Experts Slam Reliability of Much Forensic Evidence in Criminal Trials” (Ground Report) Thanks … Continue reading

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Look into why #Prop66 is a load of prosecutorial crap – False confessions by kids after interrogations

San Bernardino District Attorney @MichaelRamos stumps for California Prop 66. “One analysis of 44 proven false-confession cases revealed that more than a third of the interrogations lasted six to 12 hours, many lasted between 12 and 24 hours, and the … Continue reading

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Texas Symposium on Exonerations, bad forensics, bad prosecutions and the death penalty.

Anyone out there knowing a DA supporting the death penalty as a secure means of doling out proper justice in the US might do well to send him/her the information flyer showing the topics being discussed in Houston this August. … Continue reading

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Retribution in criminal justice reform

“In (the) battle over Nebraska’s death penalty, victims’ families refuse to be political pawns” by @lilianasegura at The Intercept.  This parallels California’s upcoming vote to abolish the death penalty. There probably will also be a pro-death penalty measure on the … Continue reading

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Another obstinate and proudly relentless prosecutor from Louisiana

On to Louisiana and its about a death penalty conviction for child murder. “Dale Cox (pictured above) was the Louisiana prosecutor against Crawford (the defendant), a case which rested almost exclusively on the testimony of a state forensic pathologist who claimed … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, death penalty, expert testimony, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Obstinate Prosecutor pursues new trial in Richards case despite forensics of innocence

Prosecutors have been well described in the media as “dogged’ and “relentless” by exerting punishment and retribution for crimes large and small against our citizenry. But there is a factual line drawn where cases of legitimate doubts are brought forward in post-conviction proceedings … Continue reading

Posted in costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice reform, death penalty | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Forensics: Focus on bitemark beliefs and “The Syndrome”

While spending nearly a full May 5th springtime time day listening to the “Country Dentist” Dr Michael West lavish a Mississippi courtroom with his god-like powers of forensic observation aided by a blue light flashlight, I began to reflect on … Continue reading

Posted in Bite Marks, Bitemarks, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, Dr. Michael West, exoneration, forensic testimony | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Inside Exoneration litigation in Mississippi – At Times it’s Utter Frustration #ELHoward

  In 2016, Texas determined that dental bitemark experts should not be admitted in court. What’s now happening in Mississippi (MS) is a classic legal and forensic science example of continuing that agenda. 1993. A bitemark ID was achieved in MS … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, costs of wrongful convictions, death penalty, forensic science reform, junk forensic science | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Australia gets rid of unreliable forensic expert’s convictions – So should Mississippi and other states

A long time Australian pathologist who retired in 1995, having recently been given an “unreliable” designation by the Aussie courts, is the subject of extensive re-litigation of many of his past trials. Coincidentally, the Mississippi Supreme Court has ordered another … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks, Crime lab scandal, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment