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Category Archives: wrongful convictions
Forensics: Welcome to the world of justice delayed and wrongful convictions. Forensic science failures persist as labs fail to adopt standards
Forensic science has deadly stakes, but half of the largest labs in the U.S. haven’t adopted federal standards, including for DNA tests and guns. — Read on http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/11/18/forensic-science-crime-lab-police-dna-test/75823347007/
Forensics: Do judges and lawyers really care about junk forensics? It leads to false convictions and executions.Texas Supreme Court weighing Robert Roberson case.
Justices are considering whether Roberson must testify before a Texas House committee before the state can carry out his execution. — Read on http://www.wfaa.com/article/news/state/texas-news/how-disagreements-about-texas-death-row-inmates-guilt-became-legal-battle-between-branches-government/287-1b2db227-0453-407f-9b6c-14cc37274f3e
Forensics: Low genetic diversity in DNA samples leads to false positives. DNA analysis is less accurate for some people, new University of Oregon study finds
A University of Oregon study found DNA analysis can be less accurate for some groups of people, which can incorrectly link them to a crime. — Read on http://www.koin.com/news/oregon/forensic-dna-analysis-is-less-accurate-for-some-people-university-of-oregon-study-finds/
Forensics: Incompetent hair analysis led to 8 executions and hundreds of convictions. Virginia Crime Commission recommends deeper review of Mary Jane Burton’s work | VPM
A panel of experts could determine if “pattern of misconduct” occurred. — Read on http://www.vpm.org/news/2024-10-24/mary-jane-burton-admissible-scott-surovell-virginia-dna-testing
Forensics: TX governore Abbott pissed off at junk science commission “interfering” with justice. Death row inmate does not testify before Texas lawmakers despite a subpoena
Robert Roberson was scheduled to be executed last Thursday for the 2002 killing of his 2-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis – who allegedly died from shaken baby syndrome. — Read on http://www.wcvb.com/article/texas-lawmakers-testimony-death-row-inmate-robert-roberson-subpoena/62674022
Forensics: Texas’ junk science law is getting another look over Robert Roberson’s case – ABC News
Since its inception in 2013, 74 appeals citing “junk science” have been denied. 1/3 were from death row. All have been denied. A man whose execution was halted will testify at a legislative hearing about a “junk science” law in … Continue reading
Forensics: Cops immunity wont help this problem. Chicago’s wrongful conviction calamity leaves taxpayers on the hook for a fortune in claims, possibly billions of dollars – ABC7 Chicago
Chicago wrongful conviction settlements could reach the billions of dollars, on top of $750 million for policy brutality and convictions since 2000. — Read on abc7chicago.com/post/chicagos-wrongful-conviction-calamity-leaves-taxpayers-hook-fortune-claims-possibly-billions-dollars/15327607/
Forensics: Article of Interest: Former U.S. Judge Andy Lester Calls on Oklahoma to Implement Reforms to “Badly Broken” Capital Punishment System Before Continuing Executions | Death Penalty Information Center
The Death Penalty Information Center is a non-profit organization serving the media and the public with analysis and information about capital punishment.… — Read on deathpenaltyinfo.org/article-of-interest-former-u-s-judge-andy-lester-calls-on-oklahoma-to-implement-reforms-to-badly-broken-capital-punishment-system-before-continuing-executions
Forensics: Q&A: Is the ‘lung float test’ accurate? Law professor is leading an effort to discredit ‘bad science’
Over the centuries, a flawed and controversial forensics tool known as the “floating lung test” or lung float test has sent innocent women accused of infanticide to the gallows. — Read on phys.org/news/2024-09-qa-lung-accurate-law-professor.html
Forensics: When science is overwhelmed by cult believers pushing their beliefs. Read about bitemark matching in East Indian “crime fighting” dentists.
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