Category Archives: Bad Forensic Science

Forensic Testimony: when the pathologist gets things very wrong: Forensic Science

For decades Steve Hayne was the go to guy for Mississippi prosecutors like Forrest Allgood of Noxubee County. Both have a long record of involvement in wrongful convictions and questionable theories and opinions on a defendant’s guilt. Allgood has the … Continue reading

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Forensic Testimony: Hired Guns or …..what? / Forensic Science

Judges to not have the tools to counteract the effects of biased experts. See PBS/Frontline/CSI http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/real-csi/can-juries-rely-on-forensic-experts/

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More on forensic science in China

New post: A deeper look into the conflicts in Chinese forensics. http://m.theatlantic.com/china/archive/2013/08/the-dark-corrupt-world-of-forensic-science-in-china/278990/

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Another DA in denial over exonerating DNA from a bite mark

This case could be the 25th person wrongfully convicted in the US by a bite mark opinion. http://www.nj.com/somerset/index.ssf/2013/08/convicted_murderer_turns_to_new_dna_evidence_to_prove_his_innocence_in_1994_killing.html#incart_river

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Dentist and ex DA deny wrongful conviction: DNA irrelevant for proof of innocence

The ex-prosecutor (now a law professor) and a bitemark expert continue to deny errors in an exoneration case in the US. They protect and represent themselves in the media as being innovators in forensic research. Federal law enforcement grants have … Continue reading

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Costs of wrongful convictions

The financial connection between wrongful convictions and the costs to taxpayers is a fairly new topic for media discussion. It is rather localized (a $10 million civil award 2013 case from Chicago) in information as nationwide statistics do not appear … Continue reading

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An Exoneration and Outdated CSI Forensics Equals a BAD Day for Two Forensic Science Experts

The topic of personal liability for forensic expert witnesses has been around for a couple of decades. I am not talking about an expert being sued by his/her client for negligent actions in the course of the employment (traditionally this … Continue reading

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Forensic Science in the UK: “A Threat to Justice”

Originally posted on Wrongful Convictions Blog:
The state of the forensic science ‘market’ in the UK has been the subject of much debate (see here…  ) March 2012 saw the closure of the main provider of forensic services, the Forensic Science…

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More on the Hair Analysis Caper: The FBI pulls back from admitting fault

My previous blog on this subject of the joint effort by the FBI, the US Department of Justice (it agrees tolling of statute of limitations on case reviews) and the Innocence Project on hair matching cases contains some interesting politically … Continue reading

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FBI Admits to Forensic Review in Over 2000 Cases

In its continuing saga of systemic identification forensic failures, the FBI promises to join forces with the Innocence Project and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to uncover criminal convictions that used the FBI’s brand of hair analysis which … Continue reading

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