https://bonesdontlie.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/identifying-mass-graves-modern-and-historic/
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Cloudy behavior of FL DNA labber causes a thunderstorm in hundreds of cases
The “interpretation” disputes on DNA blood mixtures is not going away.
“Yet the allegations against Tracey [DNA guy] have only added fuel to the crime lab controversy, which had already forced prosecutors to tell defendants in about 2,000 closed cases that their convictions might have been affected by bad evidence. Defense attorneys say Tracey’s university suspension could open up even more room to challenge DNA-based results. “
Another case:
When the DNA doesn’t match the defendant who has been in prison for decades.
The DNA sample was compiled by defense expert Dr. Karl Reich, who has been highly critical of the state crime lab’s work on post-conviction cases.
Taking a look at open access forensic science research data – To Be Determined
This article has to do with graduate and undergraduate forensic research papers and data which were made available in a UK trial project which was recently unfunded.
A new proposal following the same theme now includes commercial, law enforcement and various government research centers that continue to develop testing and materials for direct use in the field and crime labs.
Lets see how that works out. The new project’s principals are asking people fill out a survey.
Ontario drug lab scandal broadens into total review of its forensic system
Teeth have nothing to do with this story of forensic scandal. Unfortunately, no US government agency deems it necessary to review 40 years of junk bitemark opinions.
Canada is looking at its crime labs.
Drug testing from hair and blood samples went back a long way at the strangely named Motherisk Hospital for Sick Children until it was closed in 2015. Quality control failures may have wrecked many families over decades.
Photography at crime scenes from the 19th century – Bertillon and Sherlock Holmes
This suspicious fellow is Alphonse Bertillon who started photographing crime scenes in Paris in 1888. He is credited with the ‘mugshot’ protocol and discredited for putting handwriting comparisons in the Dreyfus wrongful conviction into a junk science category.
A brilliant researcher going after biased ‘facial recognition’ decision making software
Smile: One half of the US population have their faces in a facial recognition program.
This “A white mask worked better” story is about an incredibly talented young researcher, ironically from Mississippi, who is performing anti-bias testing and other validation work on visual data analytical programs. It is all about algorithms.
Commercial producers of these so-called ‘policing’ algorithm programs proliferating in criminal investigations include:
- facial recognition (The Atlantic)
- familial (Erin Murphy) and mixture DNA databases (ProPublica)
- criminal ‘predictive/forecasting of criminal intent’ analysis (A Rand Report).
Low threshold for video animation expert using video evidence with “common sense”
Looking at body cam videos and surveillance vids appears to be a ‘new’ expertise (see ‘PerpPix’ ) Another company’s 8 person video/exhibit/analysis business is promoting service on their website “The Evidence Room.” They do animations and movies. On this site are testimonials and ALOT of videos revealing the power of video to show the jury during a trial.
This second company is playing large in a police-shooting 2 trial in Cincinnati that in this article is a battle of video interpreters. The ERoom is on the defense team defending the policeman against criminal charges. Admissibility of these interpreters is apparently founded on the statement from the ER that they it does is “common sense.” It seems to takes 45 minutes in front of a jury to render opinions on a 3 second video clip.
One ER principal, a Mr. Broder has had some run ins in the recent past from expanding his “common sense” approach beyond it’s boundaries.
He also brought forth a ‘bombshell’ video in the Oscar Pistorius trial in South Africa.
Yuck: Morbid secrets of an Arizona forensic pathologist
Watch the embedded video for the details. Other Maricopa County forensic types added in the text about their ‘questionable’ character. Who was the Sheriff of Maricopa? Arpaio somebody.
Posted in Crime lab scandal
Tagged criminal justice, forensic examiner error, forensic pathology
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Big Business takes over personal rights of clients to “Help you find your family”
Well, I guess I can forget about sending Ancestry.com my saliva sample for genealogy purposes. Here are the disclosures of where your DNA goes and what to expect when the police start asking questions.
Posted in Crime lab scandal, criminal justice, DNA profiling
Tagged criminal justice, DNA rights and privacy
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Experts and lawyers going long with opinions on ‘self-inflicted’ vs ‘vicious murder’
Surely a circus is in town (South Africa) at this trial with lawyers and esteemed professors of slashes and cuts and lawyers acting as substitute experts at a multiple murder trial. It appears that all in the family had defensive hand wounds except the surviving son Henri van Breda. The experts use ‘maybe’ in determining their certainty. That surely gives the jury alot of wiggle room in making final ‘black’ or ‘white’ decisions on guilt.
The defense goes all out in demonstrating alternatives to jurors.
Over view of the 17 day trial.
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