DNA leads the way in criminal and missing persons identification. Unfortunately, other forensic methods like bitemarks and hair analysis have proven to be a bust.
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Dirty tricks and cheating in police crime labs needs to have consequences
CBS 60 Minute News reveals evidence of innocence was available but kept secret in the Duke rape case. Video interview.
One-third of NY State’s Albany DNA crime lab suspended. Article
Secret incentives for snitch eye witness brings forth an exoneration after 17 years in prison. Los Angeles settles for $8M. Article Ph0to of Obie Anthony.
Weekly podcasts with talking forensic and criminal justice types. Referred by the AAFS. Thursdays 7 to 8pm est.
Monday’s Quick Clicks…
California’s costs for latest exoneration = $8M.
AAFS forensic group tries to ignore its own discrediting research. “We had some problems” says a true believer” in bitemark “science.”
- Los Angeles to pay out $8 million to exoneree Obie Anthony
- Exoneree compensation bill moves forward in Alaska
- Ricky Jackson: After 39 years in prison, an epic tale of innocence found and bitterness lost
- New Zealand continues to scratch and claw to avoid its obligation to provide compensation to exoneree David Bain
- Forensic bite mark advocacy group conducts study that proves how unreliable bite mark evidence actually is
- Pennsylvania Innocence Project has new home
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Forensics: Crime labs continue to show misconduct trends
10 DNA analysts suspended during investigation.
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Scientists-suspended-as-State-Police-DNA-scandal-6194258.php
Not doing DNA disappoints juries.
Murder in Australia
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/04/11/11/41/a-sister-s-heartbreaking-wedding-poem
Forensics: inadequate CSI murder scene work exposed on TV show
Police really messed up this “open and shut” murder case. Article
Another example of a botched forensic path health history diagnosis which led to mother spending 9 years in prison. Article
Here we go now with footprints “approaching uniqueness.’ The forensic trap of “belief” rather than fact based – empirically proven human ID evidence. This guy just told a bunch of DAs:
“Footprints are not legally unique but they approach uniqueness,” Nirenberg, who operates Friendly Foot Care in Crown Point,” he said.
“Each person’s gait is unique based on their weight, type of shoe, foot or back problems, height and a myriad other indicators specific to each individual,” he said.
“You put all of these factors together and it creates a foot impression on the ground that is distinctive,” he said. Article
Another stinky body-farm coming your way. This time in Florida. Article
Posted in CSI, DNA profiling, police crime labs
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Is Shaken Baby Syndrome the New Satanic Panic?
Another example of CJ chaos resulting from forensic pathologists weak scientific bases of what they have said about SBS.
LA Weekly has just published an article titled ‘Is Shaken Baby Syndrome the New Satanic Panic?‘ The article highlights many frightening parallels between today’s SBS prosecutions and those of so-called satanic ritual child abusers in the 1980’s.
The article also features information from the recent documentary film by Susan Goldsmith ‘The Syndrome.’
Having closely followed the satanic ritual abuse panic of the 80’s, I found reading this story to be downright creepy. If you follow the SBS situation at all, this is a must read.
See the LA Weekly story here.
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Forensics: A dilemma happens when research results don’t support your agenda. Perfect example of forensic misconduct.
Just a note. The harassment of forensic dentists and researchers opposing the continued use of bitemarks i skin rather than DNA analysis continues. Its the same bunch as always within the bitemark advocates who have vested financial interests. The general membership of the ABFO remains curiously silent.
Absolutely the best example of contemporary forensic misconduct by an AAFS recognized group advocating their particular brand of “science.” See how their culture of rejecting their own reliability research passes from one generation to the next. This last happened in 1999.
Yesterday’s article from the Washington Post.
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Forensics: A dilemma happens when research results don’t support your agenda. Perfect example of forensic misconduct.
Absolutely the best example of contemporary forensic misconduct by an AAFS recognized group advocating their particular brand of “science.” See how their culture of rejecting their own reliability research passes from one generation to the next. This last happened in 1999.
Yesterday’s article from the Washington Post.
Wednesday’s Quick Clicks…
Links to the infuriating stories of how the CJ system works for its own purposes rather than being concerned about acting reasonably unbiased and fair.
- A former Death Row inmate who was wrongfully convicted of a double murder after a Chicago cop withheld or fabricated evidence against him, then was left fuming when a federal jury awarded him just $80,000 in damages, is getting another chance to win the $18 million he says he deserves. Former El Rukn gang member Nathson Fields was last year denied a fair trial of his lawsuit against the City of Chicago, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly ruled late Monday.Authorities hid a “bonanza” deal that allowed a key witness for the city to get out of prison early after he testified against Fields last year, Kennelly ruled in ordering a new trial. Keep reading….
- Exonerees are failed twice by the criminal justice system
- Ohio wrongfully convicted Danny Brown, then it really screwed him
- Virginia prosecutor: Innocence man faces life behind bars unless Governor pardons him
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Strange case involving Amanda Knox’s supposed forensic team DNA expert.
Strange case involving Amanda Knox’s supposed defense team DNA expert.
Some folks get suspicious when a defense expert goes on the defensive after being VERY public in the press. A reporter tries to find out about how a DNA biologist claiming credit for “proving contamination” at the Italian crime scene did what he says. The expert’s academic employer claims a ‘trade secrets’ privilege blocks inquires for ‘research’ and documentation support his role. Article.
Ex-Brooklyn DA gets himself sued for failing to release man known to be factually innocent of murder during DA’s final years in office. Article
152 ex death-row inmates have been released from prisons since 1973. LA Times article on obvious consequences of such judicial and prosecutorial ‘inaccuracies.’ Article
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