Tag Archives: Forensic science
DNA rape kits left to rot in TX crime lab
Authorities promise no damage was one. Makes one wonder about any other biological evidence misdeeds lurking in the weeds. CSI never shows this side of police forensics. https://www.statesman.com/news/local/city-memo-mold-found-containers-about-850-austin-police-rape-kits/qEZ7rV5h3gnrcJPdJtMhjM/ http://kxan.com/2017/06/27/mold-found-on-hundreds-of-apd-dna-samples/ http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/news/2017/06/27/nearly-850-austin-police-rape-kits-found-with-mold.html
Taking hair comparisons to task in AZ – Should be 100’s of cases
In another whack at the Jeff Sessions version of the inviolate status of police ‘forensics’, this article brings to light, a coalition of AZ crime labbers, DAs, the appellate court and a post-conviction org. It’s obvious that there is some … Continue reading
Million dollar expert brain guy gets whacked in Las Vegas
Judges do understand the “hired gun” aspects of expert witnessing. A insurance defense motivated neurosurgeon must have used too many boiler plate testimonies in their courts. They threw him out on his ear. One judge reviewed 371 of his … Continue reading
Thailand study on optic nerve hemorrhage in abuse and non-abuse infant deaths
The sample size in this study is very small, although the authors have been collecting data for 13 years. http://www.fsijournal.org/article/S0379-0738(17)30145-7/fulltext?elsca1=etoc&elsca2=email&elsca3=0379-0738_201707_276__&elsca4=Pathology%7CForensic%20and%20Legal%20Medicine
A court looks at BAC assumptions that aren’t based on scientific investigation
If only bitemarkers could be taken to task by a trial court like this blood alcohol ‘expert.’ On cross-examination, Wetstein [the BAC guy for the DA] acknowledged that he did not know what the defendant had eaten that night, how … Continue reading
Grant money to test DNA from dubious convictions probably will dry up with Trump
The costs of uncovering wrongful convictions are expensive. All innocence projects and criminal defense organizations require substantial donations to pursue the few cases they glean from thousands of requests from the public and inmates. Each case like the one mentioned … Continue reading
Major US science orgs oppose Sessions cancelling of forensic science commission
The AAAS, ACS and two other groups associated with main-stream science put in their two cents about desiring “independent and transparent” review and monitoring of police forensic research and methods. This will largely prove futile. It is obvious that the … Continue reading
Cures for crime lab scandals and injustice left foundering in Session’s wake
Conscientious DAs looking to render some essence of justice to bogus crime lab forensic science cases rely on authoritative leadership about remedial measures to protect those innocent of crime. Sessions got rid of that problem a couple months ago by … Continue reading
Forensics is at the core of the London terror attack reconstruction
This very thorough article from Deutschland’s DW leads with the demands on crime scene methods in determining many of the events leading up to and occurring after the recent sad event in London. http://www.dw.com/en/police-seize-huge-amount-of-forensic-material-in-london-attack-raids/a-39110961
Sleuthing gone wrong: When police and prosecutors ignore warnings about forensic flaws
This story has been in the news for a number of years. Currently, there is civil litigation going on which brings us more information. Police control of forensic science screams throughout this article at The Watch about a retired DNA … Continue reading
