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Tag Archives: Criminal Justice
The odd “reform” coexistence of law enforcement, criminal justice and private forensic orgs
Taking some joy out of Xmas, the Wash Post columnist Radley Balko draws out the pattern of current forensic events focusing on methods review into a broader question. How difficult is it to change multi-governmental institutional culture? He describes how the … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bitemarks
Tagged Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science, junk science, National Commission on Forensic Science, Radley Balko
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Major US Forensic Lab Scandals by State : The DOJ takes a stab at solution
Rumblings about mess-ups in US government-run forensic labs has finally reached the US DOJ. The reliability aspects of who does the “accreditation” is another matter. Thanks to NACDL and @celiagivens at the DNA Newsletter. DOJ to Mandate Lab Accreditation The … Continue reading
Forensics: Correcting the effects of junk science is problematic in the US
The separation of the US judiciary individual state court systems creates a systemic obstacle to curing past damage created by flawed CSI expert testimony. Montana is the example used in this article to put this in a sharper focus. http://mtstandard.com/crime-and-courts/some-states-review-flawed-hair-analysis-convictions-but-so-far/article_078e5c5d-2d97-503f-b9fa-af337aa08585.html
Forensic expert muses on his certitude that possible death penalty outcome is not relevant
This is the landscape of NGRI the defense (not guilty by reason of insanity or incompetent to be executed). Or lack thereof. If nothing else, this open declaration by a forensic expert reveals a rationale of the “greater good” somehow … Continue reading
Forensics: Freddie Gray death trial brings out all sorts of theories of what, where, and how
The opposing attorneys do battle with expert wits in a way that really highlights the entire legal adversary process in the US CJ system. The degree of physical impairment from the cervical injury is well described. The timeline of where … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science
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When a forensic pathologist testifies for the defense, the testimony is always “controversial”
This is about the Freddie Gray related trial of police officers in Baltimore. Dr. Vincent Di Maio, a forensic pathologist and former chief medical examiner in San Antonio, said Gray’s injury was “so violent, it’s so high-energy” that it … Continue reading
Forensic Fraud: 4 lab pathologists under suspicion of DNA testing fraud in Mumbai
Noteworthy news about lab docs following the lure of getting paid from outside vendors for allowing them to cook-book medical DNA results. It is not limited to India by any means. http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-maharashtra-medical-council-files-chargesheet-against-4-pathologists-2152792
Forensics: Can DNA predict a face? Courtroom application years away. Police buy it anyway.
Descriptive but not an over enthusiastic prediction of a novel attempt to revolutionize the future of “fighting crime.” The writer properly spells out the commercially developed DNA method as “skimpy” on validity. “In truth, the science for conjuring a person’s … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, Crime, CSI, DNA profiling
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science
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President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Seeks Forensic Info
PCAST Forensic Science Questions PCAST consists of 20 of the nation’s leading scientists and engineers, appointed by the President to provide direct advice to him and the White House on important matters of science and technology. PCAST has recently begun … Continue reading
Privately held DNA software “TrueAllele” taking hits from Criminal Defense lawyers
Considering the furor over DNA mixture analysis now raging in the media/courts, arguments about keeping secret prosecutors’ laboratory methods appear to be doomed at some point in this process of advancing legal discovery for criminal defendants. Unless a court wants … Continue reading
Posted in criminal justice reform, CSI
Tagged Criminal Justice, forensic evidence, forensic testimony, legal discovery
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