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Tag Archives: forensic testimony
UK Chief Jurist tells the forensics and science communities to stop “needless arguments” in court
A UK jurist (President of the UK Supreme Court in London) asks for documents consolidating “science” facts for use in courts to “save time” confusion and “needless disputes.” He mentions patent law as an area which gives judges a treatise … Continue reading
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Tagged Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science, forensic testimony
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Major Forensic News from the DNA Newsletter by the NY Legal Aid Society
Forensics in the News Low Copy Number DNA Testing Continues to be Questioned (NY Times, ABC News) In the wake of Marina Stajic’s lawsuit against the NYC OCME, alleging in part that she was forced to retire because of questions … Continue reading
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Tagged Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science, forensic testimony
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The White House pushes forward on further review of FBI pattern and trace evidence testimony
Hair is gone, lead in bullets is out, bitemarks as “fingerprints” has died, graphology disappeared, so what’s next? Alot. Last fall I had pleasant conversation with Professor (Yale) Jo Handelsman from the White House Office of Sci and Tech. We conversed … Continue reading
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Tagged Bad forensic science, Forensic science, forensic testimony
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What’s NOT sexy about the DNA evidence, from another Avery ex-attorney
An opinion about the EDTA “planted” blood evidence from the second Avery conviction. http://www.bustle.com/articles/141587-steven-averys-former-lawyer-keith-findley-tells-wisn-what-the-general-public-gets-wrong-about-forensic
Take a new look at what mistakes occur with Forensic Gunshot Residue testing and testimony
The Cardiff School of Law Innocence Project students and their faculty took on the very basic and POPULAR “police science” of GSR and turned it (now improved expertise) on its head via misuse in an 17 year old conviction. http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/dwaine-george-how-cardiff-law-school-s-innocence-project-discovered-scientific-evidence-was-of-no-a6850346.html
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Tagged forensic examiner error, Forensic science, forensic testimony
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Forensics : A learning point on how the Avery case shows little presumption of innocence
If the Steven Avery case(s) shows anything positive, it is the revelation how jury decisions of guilt are predominatantly preconceived before testimony ever begins. This then is reinforced as the prosecution proceeds with their evidence. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/01/19/the-presumption-of-innocence-exists-in-theory-not-reality/
Forensics : Details of trace evidence obtained in child murder/abuse case in Canada
The only thing the defense could get in rebuttal was that the CSI tech didn’t “test” every object available at the crime scene residence. Its a hint that the CSI could have missed some exculpable evidence usable for the defense’s … Continue reading
Posted in criminal justice, CSI, expert testimony
Tagged Criminal Justice, CSI, Forensic science, forensic testimony
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Forensics: Make sure you get all the case records and photographs before you testify
Sometimes, decisions must be made by an expert on the spur of the moment. One cannot prepare for all unexpected events. Here is an example. Nothing is more embarrassing or potentially catastrophic to any forensic expert than to find out … Continue reading
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Tagged Criminal Justice, Forensic science, forensic testimony
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How a DA used an “inconclusive” DNA result to imply it supported the victim’s testimony
No one ever denies that criminal trials are merely a war of words supporting implications of guilt or innocence. The experts were not at the crime scene, and neither was the jury nor the judge. That’s what makes victim visual … Continue reading
Another ugly story about how junk forensic science ruins lives in the US
This is the first time I have heard a judge describe junk forensic science as a threat to “public safety.” I use the original Latin phrase……. Salus populi suprema lex “Public safety is the highest law” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/citing-flawed-forensics-va-governor-pardons-man-who-spent-years-in-prison-in-deadly-arson-fire/2015/12/24/357edde6-aa7d-11e5-8058-480b572b4aae_story.html
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