I have seen a lot of government waste all in the name of forensic science, but this one is utterly foolish. It needs nothing but it’s straight fact reporting… Flashy $330,000 DNA Bus Bought by County Designed by the company that built Dr. Oz’s jumbo bus, the vehicle will collect DNA samples and serve as […]
We are the problem-Criminal Defense Attorneys
Has the criminal defense community been like Bill Buckner and letting the easy grounders gently roll past us? I think so. Perhaps too frequently in this blog, we highlight what is wrong with forensic science. What is one of the biggest problems (and may even be the biggest problem) is the incredible lack of interest […]
The Learned Treatise: An Appeal to Authority… is that misleading?
Scientists and lawyers don’t see eye-to-eye. That is not much of a surprise. On the one hand, science should be about appeal to data. On the other hand, law is about an appeal to authority (stare decisis). But what is surprising is the legal framework that addresses the scientific world does not embrace the scientific […]
Ben Goldacre helps us to evaluate science and shows publication bias
Often on this blog we have exposed that which has been deemed “scientific” and revealed it to better categorized as science fiction. So, the question becomes how do we distinguish between true science based upon sound research and transparent from pseudo-science or science fiction that has somehow entered into the courtroom as both are termed […]
Help wanted: External Quality Assurance Officer for Forensic Laboratories
On occasion I attend various scientific short courses such as the ones put on by the American Chemical Society, the National Fire Protection Association, The Chromatography Forum of Delaware Valley or various manufacturers such as Restek, Agilent and the like. I highly commend any lawyer to go to these conferences and seminars. In my opinion it […]
Are we accepting “Moonlight” or the scientific truth in the courtroom
I am going to write something that may shock you, but: There is no such thing as moonlight. Think about it. Moonlight is simply a reflection of sunlight on the moon’s surface. The moon emits no light of its own origin. Yet, people call it moonlight. Moonlight is a misnomer. It is a conceptual myth. […]
The Particular Witness Rule as established in Bullcoming v. New Mexico
SPECIAL EDITION NEWS FLASH: [Full Disclosure: I was one of the co-authors on the NACDL/NCDD amicus curiae briefs in the case of Bullcoming v. New Mexico. You can hear the audio of the oral argument here. I have waited several hours on purpose to post here in order to try to remain objective.] On September […]
Forensic Science Blogs that I watch
If you don’t have Google Reader with subscriptions set up, then I think you are either drowning in information or don’t have an effective and efficient way of managing your time to make sure that you don’t miss out on information. I personally monitor over 200 blogs each and every day in real time using […]
Forensic Science Ombudsman
I am in Chicago learning at the footsteps at the true master of modern day cross examination Terence MacCarthy. If you go into a courtroom to argue your case, his book is a must. If you can catch him at a presentation it is even better. Here in Chicago, I am lucky to be in […]
How do we get today’s youth interested in Science and Math?
I have lamented on this blog about the sad state of affairs that underlies the science in forensic science. In my personal opinion, I think the root of the problem really is four-fold: Criminal Defense attorneys not learning science: I squarely point the finger (and even wag it) at most at my colleagues and predecessors. […]
How far have we come in forensic science?
There’s an old saying: “Things aren’t as bad as they used to be.” But is this true in forensic science? Eric Lander is a Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a member of the Whitehead Institute, and director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He currently is co-chair of […]
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