Tag Archives: DNA profiling

#Forensics: #DNA STR MIXture takes a hit in its expanding use by FBI and other police crime labs.

From DNA expert Dan Krane (thanks to Gil Sapir). STRMix was found to be inadmissible in an important federal case ( Gissantaner ) out of the Western District of Michigan last week.  Its implications for STRMix (and the FBI’s increasing … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Forensics: Public familial DNA companies secretly aiding the FBI

Good thread on law enforcement’s expanding use of public corporations who have access to public DNA databases. Customers now worried. But its a business opportunity for one new company. We should add some convers on false positive or otherwise misleading … Continue reading

Posted in AAFS, CSI, DNA profiling, Forensic crime lab security issues, Forensic Science, human rights violations | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Forensics: Harvard murder from 50 years ago. New DNA shows just how wrong initial investigators’ theories can be

  This is is commonly what happens once DNA testing is done AFTER a conviction. One of the problems is the cost of post conviction testing that has to be borne by the Innocence Project and other innocence litigators. Donate … Continue reading

Posted in costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice reform, CSI | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Forensics: A look at DNA transfer at crime scenes says special training needed due to highly variable interpretations

This pay-for-view article at FSI Genetics should be made free-share for a certain period of time. Its focus on touch-DNA transfer interpretations suggests that the current opinions on DNA circumstances are suspect and standards are lacking. This is a very … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Forensics: UK police love this “conclusive” bitemark opinion – DNA never gets mentioned

Five teeth out of 32 seems enough for everyone in this murder conviction in the UK. The dentist looks satisfied on the video. (the 3rd video in the article). Problems about expert error rates, etc., always go out the window … Continue reading

Posted in criminal justice reform, DNA profiling | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

When Prosecutors continue to use Bitemarkers’ Junk Testimony in New Jersey

Participating in post-conviction appeals of defendants convicted from the use of bitemark pattern “matching” brought me to a crossroads with my memberships in both the bitemark group (ABFO) and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). The cross-road on the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Police searched genealogy records back to the early 1800s in tracking down the “Golden State” killer

In 1980, a Ventura County medical examiner played a role in getting the killer’s DNA from a murder scene. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/to-find-alleged-golden-state-killer-investigators-first-found-his-great-great-great-grandparents/2018/04/30/3c865fe7-dfcc-4a0e-b6b2-0bec548d501f_story.html?utm_term=.7f1e51de3fb2

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Discarded DNA” from a 72 year old ex-cop and a Familial DNA archive search leads to his arrest as a serial predator

Police obtaining your DNA without a warrant is one issue in this case. That’s allowed if you go out in public or don’t incinerate your trash. Once in the dumpster, there is no “expectation” of privacy. The other issue is … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

DNA Mixture Wrangling Over Private Company Secrecy Versus a Defendant’s Right for Discovery of #Forensic Methods

The scales of justice are wobbling back and forth on this one. Copyright and Intellectual Property interests seem to be winning and allowing District Attorneys to cloak their experts’ computer programs. One judge in San Diego, CA is running against … Continue reading

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sloppy and incompetent cop forensic experts at it again in the Holtzclaw case. #AAFS #Junk #Forensics

Holtzclaw is an ex-cop accused and convicted of numerous sexual assaults under the color of authority. The State’s DNA case against him lacks a serious amount of due process and quality control.  This article has recontructionist Brent Turvey talking about … Continue reading

Posted in Forensic Science Bias, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform protecting the innocence | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment