Tag Archives: expert opinion

Forensics: A good look at an expert’s advocacy. Admitted by some courts, but not all.

Posted on December 1, 2018 by csidds

This story is about a MD who has a strange habit of giving opinion evidence in child abuse cases cloaked as sound science. Works for him. One court called him out on it. https://www.propublica.org/article/david-ayoub-an-anti-vaxxer-new-crusade

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged expert opinion, forensic examiner error, Forensic science | Leave a comment

Experts and lawyers going long with opinions on ‘self-inflicted’ vs ‘vicious murder’

Posted on May 24, 2017 by csidds

Surely a circus is in town (South Africa) at this trial with lawyers and esteemed professors of slashes and cuts and lawyers acting as substitute experts at a multiple murder trial. It appears that all in the family had defensive … Continue reading →

Posted in forensic pathology, forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged defensive injuries, expert opinion, Forensic science, sharp force injuries | Leave a comment

Forensic experts in the NEWs and Courts

Posted on May 20, 2017 by csidds

Cuts on body appears self-inflicted. DNA found on clothing was not mere casual contact. Drugs and alcohol’s effect on defendant’s capacity for ‘hiding a body’ along with time and cause of death. Gunshot residue on steering wheel. Look at a … Continue reading →

Posted in forensic science reform protecting the innocent | Tagged criminal justice, exoneration, expert opinion, Forensic science | Leave a comment

Fifty years of teaching Scientific Forensics in US Law Schools – More is needed

Posted on March 21, 2017 by csidds

Forensics and criminal law are subjects that are increasingly being included in mainstream legal training in the US. There are prestigious law schools that have risen to the challenges that, to some of us, seems obvious. Major changes have occurred … Continue reading →

Posted in criminal justice reform, forensic science reform protecting the innocence | Tagged criminal justice, expert opinion, Forensic science, forensic testimony, scientific thinking, wrongful convictions | 3 Comments

Election non-relief: Judges allowing risky “probably” forensic opinions

Posted on November 8, 2016 by csidds

Bitemarks lead the list: NIST speaker reveals……. Conference: The 5 Problems That Stand Between Scientists and the Courtroom [excerpt:] Epstein showed the results of a recent survey of odonatologists that asked three questions about the reliability of bite marks. The … Continue reading →

Posted in forensic science reform, junk forensic science | Tagged AAFS, ABFO, ADA, Anthropology, ASCLD, ASFO, bias, bite mark, bite marks, bitemark, bitemark analysis, bitemark evidence, bitemark testimony, Bitemarks, board certified dentist, comparison confirmation bias, David Sheets, DNA, Dr. Greg Golden, Dr. L.T. Johnson, Dr. Michael Bowers, Dr. Michael West, Dr. Robert Barsley, Dr. roger Metcalf, Elsevier, exoneration, expert opinion, forensic, Forensic Dental Evidence, forensic dentist, forensic dentistry, forensic odontologist, Forensic Odontology, Forensic science, homicide case, Humberto Leal, Innocence partners, innocence project, Innocent, Investigator's Handbook, JADA, Kennedy Brewer, Kunco, Leal, Leigh Stubbs, Levon Brooks, Mary Bush, Michael bowers, Michael West, Mississippi Innocence, NAS National Academy of Science, National District Attorney Association, National Forensic Science Foundation, observer effects, Odontology, PCAST, Peter Bush, Ray Krone, Ray Miller, reliability research, Saliva, screening film, starks, Stinson, surveillance video, theIAI.org, toolmark, University of Buffalo, UV photography, validity, West, Wisconsin, wrongful conviction, wrongful convictions, wrongfully convicted | Leave a comment

Comparing DNA mixtures with Trueallele and STRmix gets mixed results

Posted on November 4, 2016 by csidds

Where Traditional DNA Testing Fails, Algorithms Take Over Powerful software is solving more crimes and raising new questions about due process. [excerpt] Studies have only established the validity of the available software in certain circumstances (such as a DNA mixture … Continue reading →

Posted in CSI, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling | Tagged AAFS, ABFO, ADA, Anthropology, ASCLD, ASFO, bias, bite mark, bite marks, bitemark, bitemark analysis, bitemark evidence, bitemark testimony, Bitemarks, board certified dentist, comparison confirmation bias, David Sheets, DNA, Dr. Greg Golden, Dr. L.T. Johnson, Dr. Michael Bowers, Dr. Michael West, Dr. Robert Barsley, Dr. roger Metcalf, Elsevier, exoneration, expert opinion, forensic, Forensic Dental Evidence, forensic dentist, forensic dentistry, forensic odontologist, Forensic Odontology, Forensic science, homicide case, Humberto Leal, Innocence partners, innocence project, Innocent, Investigator's Handbook, JADA, Kennedy Brewer, Kunco, Leal, Leigh Stubbs, Levon Brooks, Mary Bush, Michael bowers, Michael West, Mississippi Innocence, NAS National Academy of Science, National District Attorney Association, National Forensic Science Foundation, observer effects, Odontology, PCAST, Peter Bush, Ray Krone, Ray Miller, reliability research, Saliva, scientific method in forensics, screening film, starks, Stinson, surveillance video, theIAI.org, toolmark, University of Buffalo, UV photography, validity, West, Wisconsin, wrongful conviction, wrongful convictions, wrongfully convicted | Leave a comment

Canadian wrongful conviction file totals 85 – funding diminishing

Posted on November 1, 2016 by csidds

Innocence Canada struggling for funding for wrongfully convicted cases ‘I’m always frustrated with how long it takes us to do cases, in any event, but this is going to slow us down even more.’ A Newfoundland man who helps free … Continue reading →

Posted in costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice, CSI, wrongful convictions | Tagged AAFS, ABFO, ADA, Anthropology, ASCLD, ASFO, bias, bite mark, bite marks, bitemark, bitemark analysis, bitemark evidence, bitemark testimony, Bitemarks, board certified dentist, Canadian justice system, comparison confirmation bias, David Sheets, DNA, Dr. Greg Golden, Dr. L.T. Johnson, Dr. Michael Bowers, Dr. Michael West, Dr. Robert Barsley, Dr. roger Metcalf, Elsevier, exoneration, expert opinion, forensic, Forensic Dental Evidence, forensic dentist, forensic dentistry, forensic odontologist, Forensic Odontology, Forensic science, homicide case, Humberto Leal, Innocence partners, innocence project, Innocent, Investigator's Handbook, JADA, Kennedy Brewer, Kunco, Leal, Leigh Stubbs, Levon Brooks, Mary Bush, Michael bowers, Michael West, Mississippi Innocence, NAS National Academy of Science, National District Attorney Association, National Forensic Science Foundation, observer effects, Odontology, PCAST, Peter Bush, Ray Krone, Ray Miller, reliability research, Saliva, screening film, starks, Stinson, surveillance video, theIAI.org, toolmark, University of Buffalo, UV photography, validity, West, Wisconsin, wrongful conviction, wrongful convictions, wrongfully convicted | Leave a comment

Ballistics on the hot seat as being “too subjective” in final opinions

Posted on October 31, 2016 by csidds

The premise in ballistics is that all these casings might be considered “unique.” This “new look” at ballistics from the Aaron Hernandez conviction is similar to the back and forth decades-long argument against the now debunked “hair matching” in four … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged AAFS, ABFO, ADA, Anthropology, ASCLD, ASFO, bias, bite mark, bite marks, bitemark, bitemark analysis, bitemark evidence, bitemark testimony, Bitemarks, board certified dentist, comparison confirmation bias, David Sheets, DNA, Dr. Greg Golden, Dr. L.T. Johnson, Dr. Michael Bowers, Dr. Michael West, Dr. Robert Barsley, Dr. roger Metcalf, Elsevier, exoneration, expert opinion, forensic, Forensic Dental Evidence, forensic dentist, forensic dentistry, forensic odontologist, Forensic Odontology, Forensic science, homicide case, Humberto Leal, Innocence partners, innocence project, Innocent, Investigator's Handbook, JADA, Kennedy Brewer, Kunco, Leal, Leigh Stubbs, Levon Brooks, Mary Bush, Michael bowers, Michael West, Mississippi Innocence, NAS National Academy of Science, National District Attorney Association, National Forensic Science Foundation, observer effects, Odontology, PCAST, Peter Bush, Ray Krone, Ray Miller, reliability research, Saliva, screening film, starks, Stinson, surveillance video, theIAI.org, toolmark, University of Buffalo, UV photography, validity, West, Wisconsin, wrongful conviction, wrongful convictions, wrongfully convicted | 2 Comments

Controversial use of familial DNA searches helps lead to finds in cold cases

Posted on October 27, 2016 by csidds

A broader look at familial DNA use within criminal investigations. Some good, some bad. What appears in all examples, is that ‘presumptions’ of guilt can be incorrect and send prosecutors off in the wrong direction. What’s also apparent is that … Continue reading →

Posted in AAFS, criminal justice, criminal justice reform, CSI, DNA mixtures, DNA profiling | Tagged AAFS, ABFO, ADA, Anthropology, ASCLD, ASFO, bias, bite mark, bite marks, bitemark, bitemark analysis, bitemark evidence, bitemark testimony, Bitemarks, board certified dentist, comparison confirmation bias, David Sheets, DNA, DNA likelihood ratios, Dr. Greg Golden, Dr. L.T. Johnson, Dr. Michael Bowers, Dr. Michael West, Dr. Robert Barsley, Dr. roger Metcalf, Elsevier, exoneration, expert opinion, forensic, Forensic Dental Evidence, forensic dentist, forensic dentistry, forensic odontologist, Forensic Odontology, Forensic science, homicide case, Humberto Leal, Innocence partners, innocence project, Innocent, Investigator's Handbook, JADA, Kennedy Brewer, Kunco, Leal, Leigh Stubbs, Levon Brooks, Mary Bush, Michael bowers, Michael West, Mississippi Innocence, NAS National Academy of Science, National District Attorney Association, National Forensic Science Foundation, observer effects, Odontology, PCAST, Peter Bush, Ray Krone, Ray Miller, reliability research, Saliva, screening film, starks, Stinson, surveillance video, theIAI.org, toolmark, University of Buffalo, UV photography, validity, West, Wisconsin, wrongful conviction, wrongful convictions, wrongfully convicted | Leave a comment

Forensic Scientist Newsletter – NY Legal Aid Society

Posted on October 26, 2016 by csidds

Subscribe to the DNA Newsletter for the latest on forensic news Thousands of Texas DWI convictions could be tainted after it was discovered that one of the state’s top forensic analysts had mixed up blood samples and gave inaccurate testimony … Continue reading →