JerryBrownGov AG Kamala Harris A former prosecutor Judge found Bill Richards innocent 6 years ago! FreeTheCA12 XONR8
http://californiainnocenceproject.org/read-their-stories/william-richards/
This is an addition to yesterday’s CSIDDS post……
The author of the website http://www.bitemark.org posted an article regarding the admissibility of bitemark evidence in several cases in Texas, and spent some time discussing the supposedly ‘asinine’ nature of applying experimental scientific methodology to forensic science. The article makes the point that the scientific method should not apply to some disciplines, as they are not ‘hard’ sciences, like physics and chemistry. This commentary represents an example of why critics of forensic science find these disciplines particularly frustrating, in that they attempt to justify their forensic practice on the basis that they are somehow ‘different’ or ‘immune’ to good scientific practice. But there is no logical reason why forensic science and the scientific method should be mutually exclusive….. Read more by clicking on the PDF below
Open PDF by clicking a-response-to-a-critic-of-the-critics-2 Written by Mark Page BDS, PhD
The ABFO bitemark mouthpiece of legal wisdom lays a new egg within this WaPo article continuing news about the 26th exoneration from junk dental testimony. He espouses a strange brew of bitemark admissibility that leaves judges out of the role of applying Rules of Scientific Evidence before allowing it to be brought before a jury. Brilliant move on his part.
The judge baked a pumpkin pie before vacating his 25 year old conviction and incarceration. The dentist responsible says his “science” has changed.
There never was any science.
More info from Forensic Dentistry Online, including photos and trial transcript.
http://www.forensicdentistryonline.org/1-in-a-million-bitemark-case-looks-to-fail-another-wrongful-conviction-overturned/
This exoneration litigation has a hearing today [Monday October 12, 2015] in Dallas. This makes the second bitemark dentist in two weeks to recant his own testimony. This new dentist, said in an affidavit,
“Conclusions that a particular individual is the biter and their dentition is a match when you are dealing with an open population are now understood to be scientifically unsound,” [Hales said.]
This statement rejecting a bitemark comparison in “an open population” [of suspects] is a term concocted and promulgated by his bitemark org, the AAFS/ABFO, to continue to deceive in their hope to use their “magic” in a “closed” population of suspects. Using simpler language, when the cops tell an ABFO bitemarker [BTW, not all of them “do” bitemark cases ] that the crime only has two or a “few” possible suspects, this “dentists with guns” group can…
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This exoneration litigation has a hearing today [Monday October 12, 2015] in Dallas. This makes the second bitemark dentist in two weeks to recant his own testimony. This new dentist, said in an affidavit,
“Conclusions that a particular individual is the biter and their dentition is a match when you are dealing with an open population are now understood to be scientifically unsound,” [Hales said.]
This statement rejecting a bitemark comparison in “an open population” [of suspects] is a term concocted and promulgated by his bitemark org, the AAFS/ABFO, to continue to deceive in their hope to use their “magic” in a “closed” population of suspects. Using simpler language, when the cops tell an ABFO bitemarker [BTW, not all of them “do” bitemark cases ] that the crime only has two or a “few” possible suspects, this “dentists with guns” group can still point the guilty finger at the “real biter.” Its all about ABFO voodoo and spin.
THE RUB; To further their agenda, they bypass the fact that all the limitations [ as in no empirical research to support ] and inaccuracies which exist in “open” and “closed” are exactly the same. This pl0y keeps them in the “game.” Usually its in child abuse cases, where their level of reliable accuracy, certainty and bitemark details are abysmal.
As someone smarter than me recently said [ I think it was a federal judge quoting Thoreau ], “Don’t expect agreement from someone whose job depends on disagreeing with you.”
This is really a messed up deal in Georgia. 60 yo forensic pathologist quits while under investigation.
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And this is what happens when non science police-derived “forensic methods” are really junk. “5 Investigates: Review of old forensic hair cases begins.” (Boston).
“CPCS [ the Public Defenders Office] is pleased that the lab has begun its review of cases and looks forward to moving on to the next phase of this collaborative hair review project in partnership with the Middlesex DA’s office and the New England Innocence Project,” Kavanaugh said in a statement.
In an interview last May, Kavanaugh said it is “quite possible that innocent people are in prison due to flawed forensic testimony that came out of the Massachusetts State Police crime lab.”
Here’s the link to Forensic Dentistry Online article. Sorry.
New study confirms that bitemarks on skin are highly distorted – up to 50% !!
Someone needs to tell the Texas Forensic Science Commission about this.
http://www.forensicdentistryonline.org/effects-of-skin-elasticity-on-bite-mark-distortion/
Northern California Innocence Project litigators consider this wrongful conviction another case of junk science assisted prosecution.
““Tragically, junk science passing as expert testimony is a contributing factor in 22 percent of wrongful convictions and NCIP is actively working to free innocent people and establish policies to prevent wrongful convictions like Larry’s,” said NCIP Legal Director Linda Starr.
Earlier this week Sandee Magliozzi, Executive Director of the Northern California Innocence Project, sent out the following notification detailing a recent victory for NCIP…
Dear Friends,
We wanted to share some great news with you: yesterday afternoon the Tehama County Superior Court overturned the wrongful conviction of NCIP client Larry Pohlschneider, 46, after nearly 15 years of wrongful imprisonment! Mr. Pohlschneider’s attorneys and the Tehama County District Attorney agreed that his 2000 conviction should be vacated and the charges dismissed due to the ineffective assistance of Mr. Pohlschneider’s trial counsel.
NCIP Assistant Legal Director Maitreya Badami, Mr.
Pohlschneider’s lead attorney, commended the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office for its willingness to look at this case with fresh eyes when presented with evidence from NCIP’s investigation. “Without the District Attorney’s fairness and cooperation, Mr. Pohlschneider’s unjust incarceration might have been even more prolonged,” explained Ms. Badami. “The failure of Mr. Pohlschneider’s trial…
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New study confirms that bitemarks on skin are highly distorted – up to 50% !!
Someone needs to tell the Texas Forensic Science Commission about this.
http://www.forensicdentistryonline.org/effects-of-skin-elasticity-on-bite-mark-distortion/
