The recent revelation surrounding the conduct of former forensic scientist Yvonne “Missy” Woods at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sent shockwaves through the legal community. An extensive internal affairs investigation uncovered a troubling pattern of data manipulation and omission spanning nearly three decades, casting a shadow of doubt over the integrity of forensic […]
If true, this “Professor” Shawn Parcells = Poster Child For Forensic Reform
We have blogged on here a lot about the need for forensic science reform and how the current state of forensic science with no meaningful oversight is not unlike the Wild Wild West. Consider this reporting from CNN. If these claims of CNN turn out to be true, it is just amazing. Perhaps we have […]
Justice, the Queen of Virtues? or Validation and Quality Assurance, the Queen of Virtues: Columbia South Carolina Police Department Crime Lab
Justice, the Queen of Virtues? or Validation and Quality Assurance, the Queen of Virtues: Columbia South Carolina Police Department Crime Lab It is perhaps ironic that Columbia, South Carolina’s police department’s patch boldly states the city’s motto: “Justitia virtutum regina” which translates to “Justice, the Queen of Virtues.” Is there justice when people are wrongly […]
More problems in crime labs: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (“OCME”) Controlled Substances Unit (“OCME-CSU” or “CSU”)
Delaware State Police (“DSP”) and the Delaware Department of Justice (“DDOJ”) initiated an investigation of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (“OCME”) Controlled Substances Unit (“OCME-CSU” or “CSU”). According to this news story, there were lots of problems found. June 19, 2014 Report shows flaws within Delaware drug lab By Shana O’Malley New details […]
Another week, another forensic science scandal in Texas: HPD
Another week, another forensic science scandal in Texas: HPD Everything, they say, is bigger in Texas. It seems as if Texas has a new forensic science reported scandal every single week. The question is why? Why Texas? I have a theory: it’s the lawyers. Over the last 4 or so years, Texas has been on […]
Problems in Bexar County Texas Too-Integrated Forensic Laboratories LLC
Another day, another headline. Sigh. According to the below email and also the newspaper article, sadly here’s another issue with an accredited laboratory and Quality Assurance. Here is another one: Lab errors place Bexar DWI cases under scrutiny By Eva Ruth Moravec May 22, 2014 | Updated: May 23, 2014 11:38am SAN ANTONIO — Hundreds […]
Another day, Another Breath Test Scandal
Another day, Another Breath Test Scandal When will we just face facts, Breath Testing America just does not work any more. It is not useful. It perhaps served a purpose back in the 1950s, but today with blood testing and Gas Chromatography, it no longer is needed. Today’s story comes out of Colorado. Again, the […]
Brady notice in DUID cases at DPS Austin in Texas
Every once and a while, I get an email or a report that claims that the sender has never seen an incorrect analytical chemistry result come out of an accredited crime laboratory. I’m going to start publishing them when I get them. So, attorneys please send them in to us. Here is a fairly recent […]
Another week, another laboratory scandal: Santa Clara County Crime Lab (and it’s accredited by ASCLD/LAB)
Another week, another laboratory scandal: Santa Clara County Crime Lab (and it’s accredited by ASCLD/LAB) [Hat tip to The Charles Smith Blog] I have written time and again about how forensic science as it is currently practiced in the United States needs massive improvement. The repeated Quality Assurance system failures would never be tolerated in […]
AlcoPro doesn’t want breath test devices in the hands of a skeptical attorneys
AlcoPro, Inc. is a distributor of portable breath test devices commonly referred to as PBTs. Law enforcement officers in many states use these devices on the side of the road to help determine if someone is possibly under the influence of alcohol. One of the more popular PBTs that they sell is the Alco-Sensor FST manufactured by Intoximeters, Inc. The […]
Crime Scenes are Never Contaminated, Right?
I recently had a prosecutor in an arson case state out loud in court, “Your Honor, crime scenes are never ever contaminated by investigators. Not accidentally, and certainly not on purpose.” Where do you start with that sort of statement? Perhaps you start with Fred Zane, Joyce Gilchrist, and others. But most recently is this […]
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