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Tag Archives: wrongful convictions
Convicting an Innocent Man Quote Runs Up Against Prosecution Experts’ Immunity Protections
Sir William Blackstone made his legal commentaries in 18th century England. Serious old-school forensic problem exists with fingerprint experts. Their old-saw statement of “zero-error rate” is beginning to sound unrealistic to judges who have some forensic training. This case in … 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
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
The World’s largest Science Org blasts Forensic latent fingerprints for unsupportable opinions
The AAAS is relatively new to reviewing forensics, but it has taken on pattern-matchers with the full force of its multidisciplinary membership. Its candor is a refreshing look into latent print matching experts. The AAAS has no law enforcement affiliations … Continue reading
Another junk forensic bitemark case gets reversed – Swinton exonerated after 17 years – DAs still using bitemarks
This makes 30 cases the infamous practitioners of “forensic” odontology have contributed to false convictions and indictments. Needless to say, the few existing adherents to bitemark voodoo are still alive and well as members of the American Academy of … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform protecting the innocent
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, AMERICAN BOARD OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY, Bad forensic science, criminal justice, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions
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Trump’s DOJ promises advancing good things for #Forensic #Science – #PCAST not so much
The governmental missives about improving forensics always gloss over or ignore what the NAS 2009 report and the 2016 PCAST report itemized as areas needing reform. Here we go: “The new guidance implements additional quality assurance measures based on science-informed … Continue reading
Posted in Bite Marks, costs of wrongful convictions, criminal justice reform, CSI, forensic science misconduct, forensic science reform protecting the innocent
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, forensic examiner error, Forensic science, junk forensic science, latent fingerprints, Miscarriage of justice, wrongful convictions
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Battle for freedom in another bitemark conviction heats up – DNA evidence from crime scene including murder weapon #AAFS
The John Kunco case in Pennsylvania goes back in my case archives for over 12 years. Early in Mr. Kunco’s post conviction appeals, the opinions of two famous bitemark experts ( at least as far as they are concerned ) … Continue reading
Anti-Junk forensics legislation continues to use bitemark “identifications” in the battle against false convictions.
Keith Harvard. Conviction in 1982. Released in 2016. So far, two states in the US have generated new laws which allow inmates to contest dubious, outmoded or outright false claims of forensic ‘experts’ used to aid their convictions. Texas and … Continue reading
Posted in AAFS, ABFO, Bite Marks, Bitemarks, criminal justice reform, forensic science reform protecting the innocent
Tagged American Academy of Forensic Science, AMERICAN BOARD OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY, Bad forensic science, forensic science reform protecting the innocent, junk forensic science, wrongful convictions
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