Cops bail on finding real perps after “their perp” gets freed from the “Country Dentist”

Posted on July 2, 2017 by csidds

Nationally, the Innocence Projects have handed the police over 100 DNA profiles of ‘strong’ suspects uncovered by IP exoneration litigation. No one in the LEO industry does much about followup, according to this article.

LEOs and DAs take the low and easy road by mostly whining about the IP and its affiliated Network being self serving and a pack of uber-liberals. Michael West, notorious for putting multiple innocents in MS prisons, says it is those “New York Jews” who are making it impossible for him to practice his innovative brand of forensic “justice.” Here is the “good doctor” attending MS court last year, where he defended his “stellar’ reputation as a forensic science guru.

All about West, who is the “Country Dentist”, and Steve Hayne, aka “Dr Death,” will be out next February 2018 from Balko, Carrington, and Grisham. (Click the top image or go here).

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WH Science Office in Trump’s Rearview mirror

Posted on July 2, 2017 by csidds

Image result for car wreck highway cartoon

Ole No 45 is barreling down the highway, all the while leaving wreckage in his path. The science side of the OSTP office that historically brought the WH the best of the best in science and science policy advice has been closed. This parallels the 45 appointed JB Sessions demise(ing) of the independent National Commission on Forensic Science.

I’m waiting for the tRumper to kick the National Academy of Sciences to the ditch, although that historic science-driven agency is under the control of Congress (gulp).

“…mic out” at OSTP science. 

Update: The WH recently denied the above by stating:

It ain’t empty, rather it has been “absorbed.”

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Science and non-forensic orgs talk about “independent forensic management”

Posted on June 29, 2017 by csidds

Image result for joining hands

This probably is largely just blowin’ in the wind. tRump seems more interested in personal gain and fame. This is a good overview of the coalescence of science and forensic types occurring since 45 took office.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/science-organizations-renew-call-for-independent-us-committee-on-forensics/2017/06/28/3ab8cdea-5b6a-11e7-9b7d-14576dc0f39d_story.html?utm_term=.1a1340ebc6dc

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Listen to how DNA analysts cheat their way to an ID from blood mixtures

Posted on June 29, 2017 by csidds

Image result for dna mixtures

For those wondering about why there is such a flap going on when crime scene blood specimens contain more than one human profile, there are similarities to bitemark analysis’ lack of bias control.  Watch this:

Published on Jan 12, 2015

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. The science of DNA profiling is sound, but much of what passes as DNA profiling is not scientific. Many testing labs resist interpreting evidence samples without having knowledge of a suspect’s reference DNA profile. Blind interpretation of test results is possible and would greatly increase the reliability of the statistical weights given to DNA profile matches in some cases.

Dan Krane “Exploring bias in forensic DNA profiling.”

 

 

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

DNA rape kits left to rot in TX crime lab

Posted on June 28, 2017 by csidds

Image result for trash can cartoon

Authorities promise no damage was one. Makes one wonder about any other biological evidence misdeeds lurking in the weeds. CSI never shows this side of police forensics.

https://www.statesman.com/news/local/city-memo-mold-found-containers-about-850-austin-police-rape-kits/qEZ7rV5h3gnrcJPdJtMhjM/

http://kxan.com/2017/06/27/mold-found-on-hundreds-of-apd-dna-samples/

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/news/2017/06/27/nearly-850-austin-police-rape-kits-found-with-mold.html

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

US Supremes argue from on high that DA suppressed evidence is AOK

Posted on June 27, 2017 by csidds

Image result for soothsayer

The “finality of guilt” just got reaffirmed by a bunch of judicial soothsayers ( rather impact sayers ) taking one more corner off the 6th and 14th amendments right to a fair trial.

“This is the latest SCOTUS decision to focus on impact of suppressed evidence, instead of its mere existence, making it harder to get a new trial to challenge a conviction.”

Its a actually another form of judicial predictive analysis concluding about jury perceptions decades after a conviction and is an added escape hatch for prosecutorial misdeeds.

https://news.vice.com/story/supreme-court-ruling-makes-it-harder-to-undo-wrongful-convictions?utm_content=buffer59164&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

DNA lab in Miami is blazing a path towards perfection – Judges ignores failures

Posted on June 26, 2017 by csidds

Image result for crooked judge

Here is more on DNA mixture interpretation, and how prosecutors and judges (N=1) just do not want to cope with cleaning their forensic houses of incorrect protocols in order to advance with science. Ridiculous. It’s medical malpractice if health professionals showed such lax concerns about maiming and killing their patients with flawed or outdated treatment. Of course it is the lawyers who say they protect the public in bringing medical malpractice to bear against incompetent and greedy doctors.

Yet….

The prosecutors have given themselves unabated protections against retribution for their failures and misdeeds. And they whine about being overworked and preach the “finality of conviction” regardless of exonerations like these satanic witchhunts. 

Here is the latest Miami DNA story.

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/broward-judges-arent-letting-defendants-challenge-bad-dna-evidence-critics-say-9444358

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Taking hair comparisons to task in AZ – Should be 100’s of cases

Posted on June 25, 2017 by csidds

In another whack at the Jeff Sessions version of the inviolate status of police ‘forensics’, this article brings to light, a coalition of AZ crime labbers, DAs, the appellate court and a post-conviction org. It’s obvious that there is some tension of opinion about how erroneous hair opinions (they have accessed 2,300 cases so far) can lead to wrongful convictions.

Of course there is the notorious AZ death penalty bitemark conviction of Ray Krone (pictured above) which also contained a flawed hair identification, that should provide a template for the crime labbers who are reviewing their own cases.

Doing all this as an in-house police review is not a good idea. Read more about this from the lady from the post conviction org involved in this forensic integrity review.

http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2017/06/16/testimony-on-hair-samples-under-scrutiny-in-100s-of-arizona-cases/?platform=hootsuite&utm_content=buffer87252&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Posted in Bite Marks, Bitemarks, Crime lab scandal, death penalty, forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Million dollar expert brain guy gets whacked in Las Vegas

Posted on June 22, 2017 by csidds

 

Image result for oath taking

Judges do understand the “hired gun” aspects of expert witnessing. A insurance defense motivated neurosurgeon must have used too many boiler plate testimonies in their courts. They threw him out on his ear. One judge reviewed 371 of his cases.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/news-columns/jane-ann-morrison/judges-ban-las-vegas-doctor-from-serving-as-expert-witness-in-2-cases/

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Lamenting leaving courtroom science admissibility to cops and lawyers

Posted on June 17, 2017 by csidds

“Bite marks is the obvious example. It’s inconceivable to most of us as to how this stuff even continues to be admitted.” – member on the National Commission on Forensic Science. 

Here’s  from the US District Attorneys Association (@NDAAJustice ) president Michael Ramos praising bitemarks. US District Attorneys

Unbelieveable.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment