We hear time and time again about how these crime laboratory disasters are the work of one lone, rogue chemist. This is the pattern that emerges time and again in the press. What is lost in the reporting is the true failure: the lack of oversight; the lack of quality assurance; the lack of transparency; […]
The Laboratory Bench Mates used brown construction paper to cover up wrongdoing and source materials on the Annie Dookhan matter
Annie Dookhan, the Fukushima of Forensics, has been covered here before: Yet another crime lab scandal — the real question is how many failures until they get caught and when is enough enough? The poster child for everything that is wrong in forensic science: Annie Dookhan The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan What to do […]
Annie Dookhan and more revelations
The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan has been covered here before: Yet another crime lab scandal — the real question is how many failures until they get caught and when is enough enough? The poster child for everything that is wrong in forensic science: Annie Dookhan The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan What to do […]
The catalyst for change: The Annie Dookhan episode
It is unprecedented in this blog to report so many times on one event. However, this type of event needs constant and repeated discussion. The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan. Has been covered here before: Yet another crime lab scandal — the real question is how many failures until they get caught and when is […]
Why Confrontation of the Particular Witness must be mandatory: Annie Dookhan
The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan. Has been covered here before: Yet another crime lab scandal — the real question is how many failures until they get caught and when is enough enough? The poster child for everything that is wrong in forensic science: Annie Dookhan The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan What to do […]
More on Annie Dookhan: Three cheers to the Boston Globe
At this blog we have been following the great reporting of The Boston Globe over the Annie Dookhan matter. This is a very important case study of what can go wrong and what does go wrong in forensic science. I have called it before the Fukushima of Forensics. This is not hyperbole. As you read more […]
What to do with 60,000 cases involving Annie Dookhan?
According to The Boston Globe, Scott Burns, the executive director of the National District Attorneys Association, said Dookhan’s alleged actions are not without precedent but far from typical. I agree with him. The scope of this disaster is what makes it so remarkable. However, there is a long, long list of similar shame: Fred Zain, Joyce […]
The Fukushima of Forensics: Annie Dookhan
We have blogged before on the Annie Dookhan scandal: The poster child for everything that is wrong in forensic science: Annie Dookhan It is amazing the state of forensic science in the courtroom. Judges still routinely deny discovery motions for scientific data, validation studies and even basic scientific data. They justify this stating that a […]
This only makes sense in the bizzarro world of Texas DPS: No proof, but we prosecute!
One of the tenants of the criminal justice system is that everyone accused is presumed innocent. That means that everyone starts out in the courtroom with a not guilty. It remains a not guilty throughout the trial no matter how many witnesses come forward or what they say. It remains so even in the jury […]
American Chemical Society Science & the Congress Project
The American Chemical Society in conjunction with The Innocence Project held a symposium that was funded by The McShane Firm, LLC entitled “Forensic Science Chemistry and the Law: Innocence! The Work of the Innocence Project” on August 20, 2012 at the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia. The ACS is continuing to push for legitimate science […]
The illusion of choice: The Limits of Science—and Scientists
It must be tough to be a testifying witness in any trial. It must be incredibly difficult to be a testifying expert witness at trial. There is pressure to have the answers. There is pressure to preform in keeping with one side or the other’s theory of the case. There is pressure. At some point, […]
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