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Tag Archives: junk forensic science
A Classic Forensic Failure: Bitemarkers Issue An “Editorial” Explaining Their Rebirth as “Science-Based”
Nothing explains the mind-set of the AAFS affiliated ABFO bitemark group better than this 11 page Apologia that attempts to rehab their continued use in US Criminal Courts. It has a host of mis-truths, avoidance methods, and non-science orientation. … Continue reading
The nature of hair and lack of robust research leads to doubts about cocaine testing company
Its the old story of a commercial drug testing company getting a head start in police forensics without discriminant variable testing to support its claims of a subjects’ drug use. The FBI uses this system to this day. In general, … Continue reading
Dodgy Forensics: Here’s Why Crime Labs Need to Be Independent From the Police
Either this crime lab director is a cop or he was trained by one to keep his mouth shut to advantage the District Attorneys’ Office. The Orange County (Trumpland of California) DA Raukaukus has a few smooth moves of his … Continue reading
Prevalence of junk forensic experts in US criminal courts
The core phrase used is “junk experts sneaking” into the courts. Bitemarks as usual, lead the way. The current USDOJ thinking is that everything is AOK. All but two states (California and Texas) do not consider the constitutional rights … Continue reading
If Bitemark Identifiers Are Flawed, Why Did The AAFS Just Recertify Them?
The decades of criticisms about the American Board of Forensic Odontology’s (ABFO) relationship with the American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) has been a waste of time and effort. This US bitemark bunch gets an accreditation review each five years … Continue reading
Is the “Nazification” of Forensic Science possible under Trump and Jeff Sessions?
Up to this point in history, the 20th century is gone, but it’s compendium of events regarding totalitarian use of governmental “mind control” of science and technology has continued into the 21st. Topics such as eugenics, population “cleansing” of dissidents, … Continue reading
Using bitemarker cases to reflect on how courts should protect the innocent from junk forensic science – Some do and some don’t
Another mini-review of bitemark matching fallacies that present in the US courts since 1954 and which contributed to dozens wrongful convictions. That number continues to increase. This article focuses on Alfred Swinton’s recent release from a Connecticut prison. It does … Continue reading
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
Forensics: Incompetent officer field drug testing puts another innocent in jail for months – Vitamins “tested” as Oxycodone
Another field drug test mistake sends woman to jail — for months So much for “Law and Order” accuracy in field drug testing and law enforcement forensics. The recent USDOJ PR piece on forensic “transparency” and “validity” hasn’t made its … Continue reading
Swinton bitemark exoneration generates praise for Conn Attorney General – Really?
The AG’s office declined to recharge Alfred Swinton after his 1991 conviction fell apart due to DNA “touch” analysis of the victim and a bitemark expert who recanted his trial testimony. The praise for the AG in this first article … Continue reading
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