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Tag Archives: Bad forensic science
Forensics: Author John Grisham talks about courtrooms “flooded with an avalanche of unreliable, even atrocious ‘science.’ “
He brings out Mississippi’s “The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist” along with other forensic failures in this L.A. Times Op-Ed. “It’s a maddening indictment of America’s broken criminal justice system, in which prosecutors allowed — even encouraged — flawed … Continue reading
Junk drug testing from hair and alcohol continues to do damage from Canadian Motherisk lab scandal
This story underlies the devastation to victims of false and misleading forensic lab testing. Motherisk is a hospital chem lab that contracted to Canadian legal authorities responsible for enforcing child protection laws. This story is from Nova Scotia. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/motherisk-nova-scotia-investigation-1.4553531
The World’s largest Science Org blasts Forensic latent fingerprints for unsupportable opinions
The AAAS is relatively new to reviewing forensics, but it has taken on pattern-matchers with the full force of its multidisciplinary membership. Its candor is a refreshing look into latent print matching experts. The AAAS has no law enforcement affiliations … Continue reading
Another junk forensic bitemark case gets reversed – Swinton exonerated after 17 years – DAs still using bitemarks
This makes 30 cases the infamous practitioners of “forensic” odontology have contributed to false convictions and indictments. Needless to say, the few existing adherents to bitemark voodoo are still alive and well as members of the American Academy of … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform protecting the innocent
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, AMERICAN BOARD OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY, Bad forensic science, criminal justice, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions
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More examples of sub-standard death investigations by law enforcement – evidence ignored and bias from the beginning
This case has parents suing a Coroners Office to reopen their daughter’s death investigation. They argue that the actual crime scene was never processed and the circumstances of the young woman’s death raise significant questions regarding the death being suspicious. … Continue reading
Anti-Junk forensics legislation continues to use bitemark “identifications” in the battle against false convictions.
Keith Harvard. Conviction in 1982. Released in 2016. So far, two states in the US have generated new laws which allow inmates to contest dubious, outmoded or outright false claims of forensic ‘experts’ used to aid their convictions. Texas and … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, criminal justice reform, forensic science reform protecting the innocent
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, AMERICAN BOARD OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY, Bad forensic science, forensic science reform protecting the innocent, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions
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The New Phrenology scam crops up in China and makes inroads in Criminal Justice…..again
Long determined to be forensically incompetent, some researchers are testing a hundred year old Bertillon Paradigm of criminal visage prediction for law enforcement. He did come up with the first consistent use of photography at crime scenes. Plus he is … Continue reading
Blood spatter continues: It’s purveyors and assumption spur critics to express weaknesses
This is a continuation of our previous blog on blood drops and criminal justice. It is expressly “old school” and experts really heavily on “experiments” both in courtrooms and their ‘spatter” rooms. Calling this science is also present in … Continue reading
“Almost junk forensic science” of blood spatter expertise – Its not as simple as it’s taught in class
Here is a good look at why “forensics” should be considered amateur-hour non-science in many jurisdictions. Article goes within a conviction that had the same cop being the crime evidence collector, analyst, and lead investigator. Much goes wrong in the … Continue reading
Unsafe toxicology testing goes rampant in the UK – Forensic Regulator on the case
Intentional tampering cases in forensic drug case going beyond the original few hundred originally published. She said: ‘The organisation concerned held accreditation to the appropriate quality standard, but the malpractice was not discovered by the usual quality checks. ‘This raises … Continue reading
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