Category Archives: expert testimony

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

Bite Mark “Matching” May Send Eddie Lee Howard to Death Chamber

MS Attorney General’s office thinks Bitemarks are still good to go. So do the bitemark experts. This article is about Howard’s last ditch appeal to the MS Supreme Court. Famous bitemark expert Michael West used his dental expertise to convict him. Another … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bitemarks, costs of wrongful convictions, CSI, death penalty, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Science Bias | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SF Police Chief Loses a $2M grant for rape kits. His Crime lab is “maxed out.” Plus Murder around the world.

S.F. Police Chief Greg Suhr during a news conference speaks about an audit of the crime lab’s DNA unit, which has come under fire for faking results, as well as other police misconduct, at the Hall of Justice, Friday, April … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Civil rights, Community Dentistry, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, exoneration, expert testimony, forensic misconuct, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, Forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, Identification DVI, Innocence March, National FOrensic Science Commission, Perjury by Prosecutors, police crime labs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Efforts to rid court system of outdated and flawed forensic “expertise”

Old Convictions, New Science Texas tackles debunked forensics. This legislative process in Texas reflects how the monolithic (i.e huge) US criminal justice system “repairs” itself. I use the word “repair” very loosely in that people have to be injured, killed … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Civil rights, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, death penalty, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Dentistry, Forensic Science, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, Innocence March, junk forensic science, police crime labs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Forensics: Fire Chief resigns after falsifying evidence, FBI hair debacle casts generalized doubts, TX leads in wrongful convictions and wants a fix

Fire chief resigns after lying about his credentials and arson evidence.  Forensic hair analysis: Evidence of more federal governmental dysfunction  How pizza can be tested for DNA evidence. Protocol used in Wash DC family murder investigation. Washington man imprisoned by … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, Bad Forensic Science, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, DNA mixtures, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Science Bias, Forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, wrongful convictions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Forensics: 2004 Chi Trib articles about dubious bitemark convictions and bad science that still stand as “justice done.”

Its been 11 years since this article was published. Its about the DNA vs bitemark case AZ v. Tankersley. The defendant is still in prison. The “bitemark matchers” were ABFO members Raymond Rawson (Ray Krone’s exoneration story is at the bottom of this … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bad Forensic Science, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Civil rights, Crime, criminal justice, CSI, DNA mixtures, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform, forensic testimony, junk forensic science, Ray Krone bitemark case, wrongful convictions | 1 Comment

More on what damage junk forensic science brings society

After 36 years…… http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/dc-man-imprisoned-by-flawed-fbi-forensic-evidence-exonerated/2015/05/23/ed382f70-00c6-11e5-8b6c-0dcce21e223d_story.html

Posted in Bad Forensic Science, Civil rights, costs of wrongful convictions, Crime, criminal justice, CSI, DNA profiling, exoneration, Exoneration costs, expert testimony, Forensic Science, forensic science misconduct, forensic testimony, junk forensic science, National FOrensic Science Commission, police crime labs, wrongful convictions | 1 Comment

Forensics: Wisc payout of $6.5M on wrongful conviction considered a ‘bargain” by its defense lawyer.

Wyoming crime lab tech cooks his own credentials San Francisco law enforcement reeling over multiple scandals Forensic science only offers probabilities, not guarantees that justice will be served How a defense pathology expert can get smeared in court by getting … Continue reading

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