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Category Archives: forensic science reform protecting the innocent
” Forensic foibles” examined in light of generally uncritical appellate judicial review
Stare Decisis Is Not Scientific A CAUTIONARY TALE FROM TWO CASES [ Higher courts’ lack of abilities to be scientifically rigorous]…” serves as a road sign as to both where danger lurks should an uncritical court wish to avoid difficult questions, … Continue reading
Imwinkelried on Science and Law : Paving the Way for Courts About Junk Forensics
I do not like to use “junk” regarding flawed forensics. Let’s say that “invalidated” forensics is more professional and is easier on the reader. Nevertheless, semantics will not cure State criminal courts from fumbling badly when inmates appeal the misleading … Continue reading
When Science turned Criminal Investigating on it’s Head – Jeffreys and DNA
DNA EVIDENCE FREES THE INNOCENT A time-line look at how science brought independent verification to police ‘science.’ From that came wrongful convictions showing up decades of police and prosecutorial infallibility. http://reason.com/archives/2017/07/18/dna-evidence-frees-the-innocen In another glowing example of infallible arrogance, USDOJ boss … Continue reading
Forensics and Police Science Potpourri – Unfortunately its all bad.
Los Alamos Study Claims Airport Scanners Can Rip Apart & Alter DNA: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/02/19/los-alamos-study-finds-airport-scanners-can-rip-apart-alter-dna/ Kentucky Police Dept. Accused of Fabricating Blood and Hair DNA, Polygraph Results and Eyewitness Testimony: http://www.courthousenews.com/inmates-wrongfully-convicted-satanic-killing-say-cops-fabricated-evidence/ Junk-science crisis in crime labs There is a long-festering systemic crisis in … Continue reading
Simple Fire Science for Arson Investigators and Courts – by John Lentini
John has waged a very effective movement towards improving arson investigations from their origins as a science lacking high school level quasi police discipline. What Fire Litigators Need to Know in 2017 John’s history on the effects of junk fire … Continue reading
Public attitude toward government crime labs may be dwindling.
This is not a theme that shows up in any law enforcement or prosecutor-driven media within the US. That goes for the @IAI, @NDAAjustice or the USDOJ The National Review The Crisis in America’s Crime Labs. a spin-off of the above titled: … Continue reading
Looking at your cellphone for spit, sweat, cosmetics, and DNA
Running labs test on personal items retrieved from crime scenes. None of these can indicate time of occurrence. Obviously will be used to influence confessions and plea deals. The only true biological “identifier” would be DNA. https://www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/trace/Pages/forensic-identification-using-individual-chemical-signatures.aspx No high … Continue reading
Look at how well law enforcement manages forensic science -Secret hearings?
Here is how OK City handles its problems with DNA evidence in their crime lab and in high profile murder cases that are under appeal. A 2 hour pro prosecutorial soirree was in the judge’s chamber with the DNA lab … Continue reading
Todays Forensics from the TwitterVerse
Photocopies of forensic evidence precautions. Senior DA from Los Angeles gets caught intimidating police. Brave lady criminologist calls out JSessions’ cancelling of National Forensic Commission. New study looking into how jurors perceive forensic science. Belying the USDOJ laissez faire denial … Continue reading
More input from scientists taking up the torch for better forensics
More academic folks talking about all the reasons this blog was begun in 2014. They describe the climate and environment of the US criminal justice relationship with empirically tested science and wrongful convictions. Apparently my concerns about low quality, … Continue reading
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