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Tag Archives: Criminal Justice
How a DA used an “inconclusive” DNA result to imply it supported the victim’s testimony
No one ever denies that criminal trials are merely a war of words supporting implications of guilt or innocence. The experts were not at the crime scene, and neither was the jury nor the judge. That’s what makes victim visual … Continue reading
Forensics: Failed forensic footwear test leads to firing and failed lawsuit against WI DOJ
Talk about a headache for crime lab management. The fired footwear examiner started by alleging the shoeprint exam was flawed to begin with. http://www.wisbar.org/NewsPublications/Pages/General-Article.aspx?ArticleID=24514
Posted in AAFS
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science
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Forensics: Cross exam of a crime lab DNA tech gets high marks for drama
This case has some excellent insight into how a defense attorney finds a crack in a lab tech’s QA protocols [ she spit on a DNA sample] and then tries to blow up all the other work-product used by the … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, Criminal Justice, CSI, district attorney, DNA profiling
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Tx Forensic Sci Commission gets kudos for driving bitemark analysts to ground
Well, its not just the bitemarker zealots being scoured by the Tx Commission as mentioned in the January issue of Texas Monthly. But, its title is “False Impressions” and its headpiece image is the above closeup of some badly busted … Continue reading
Outspoken Innocence Project detractor runs pricey Forensic Science ethics training course
Wrongful convictions and almost daily news reports of exonerations have spurred a new industry in forensic science. These events have created a new theme in forensic science, namely “forensic science reform,” where government agencies, CJ institutes, academia and private parties have … Continue reading
Crime lab event collects missing girl’s family’s DNA. Body later ID’d.
The identification was made based on DNA samples given from family members at the Attorney General’s event to raise awareness for and help loved ones locate missing persons, Never Forgotten: Arkansas Takes Action. http://txktoday.com/news/never-forgotten-event-helps-identify-missing-persons-remains/
Forensics: How human bitemarks should be used by prosecutors.
(photo credit: C. Michael Bowers and Raymond Johansen. From Digital Analysis of Bitemark Evidence. c 2004). This is an experimentally produced bitemark on a deceased pig ear. The bitemark was made by Dr. Johansen biting the specimen. Unfortunately, this amount of … Continue reading
Dialogue about Science Peer Review in the Courts : Scientific American : Faigman
This is a “how to do it” from Law Professor David L. Faigman at Hastings of UCBerkeley. He shows an extensive review on where the US courts are on this subject and why they are not always reliable. He has some interesting … Continue reading
Nebraska County payout for crime lab director who resigned after fruitless investigation
Results are almost $200K in settlement, rescinding a 30 day no-salary suspension, and a neutral job reference letter. One can only imagine what the real back-story is on this one. http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/regional/after-settlement-douglas-county-crime-lab-boss-will-resign-and/article_02c51540-a41b-11e5-81bb-fb0462efa4f2.html
Posted in Forensic Science
Tagged crime lab politics, crime lab retribution, Criminal Justice, CSI
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Forensics: DNA retest eliminates convicted man. DA says he’s guilty anyway.
This case is certainty bizarre for its facts. A now convicted man is arguing for a new trial. Post conviction DNA re-testing on a gun is the center point. But the guy who got shot was killed by a police officer named Kaufman. … Continue reading
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