“It’s no exaggeration to say hundreds if not thousands of parents and caregivers are in prison in cases where no crime occurred,” says a spokesperson for the Innocence Project. Robert Roberson may be one of them. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003 after...
forensic science
A forensic analyst’s exaggerated testimony leads to new trial
A Colorado man who has insisted on his innocence for 30 years will get a new trial because the forensic analyst’s testimony in his trial is no longer supported by scientific evidence. In order for someone to offer an expert opinion in court, the judge must be...
A Texas death row inmate was convicted on a ‘false’ DNA test
Can DNA evidence be wrong? You bet. Although it is a sophisticated science, it is still performed by human beings. Sometimes, people make mistakes – and some people make more mistakes than others. At issue is a Texas crime lab that “so consistently and egregiously...
Why is discredited forensic science still being used as evidence?
In 2009, a committee of the prestigious National Research Council (NRC) published a report for Congress that shocked the entire criminal justice system. Congress had asked the NRC to evaluate the scientific underpinnings of commonly used forensic evidence and suggest...
Fatally flawed arson evidence means Tennessee man goes free
In February 1992, 24-year-old Lorie Lance died in a fire in Old Hickory, Tennessee. Her boyfriend, Claude Garrett, awoke to find his and Lorie’s living room on fire. He woke Lorie up and ran for the door, but Lorie suddenly turned and ran toward the back of the house....
3 more forensic labs around the country caught up in scandal
As a society, we must trust state forensic labs to accurately test evidence. They are supposed to be neutral, not agents for the prosecution or police. They have ethical standards. Too often, forensic labs have failed us. When they do, it can result in wrongful...
Should police be allowed to collect your ‘abandoned’ DNA without your consent or a warrant?
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures by government agents such as police. It is among our primary sources of constitutional protection against government overreach and surveillance. This is because, in criminal...
Do jurors fall for the ‘CSI effect’?
Forensic science isn’t nearly as straightforward and foolproof as it seems on television crime shows like “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Unfortunately, many jurors may not know that. Are they expecting results like those produced on the show? Can they disregard...
Top Biden science advisor wrote seminal report on forensic science
In 2016, the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST) issued a report on the reliability of various forensic science techniques. The report was earth-shaking for the forensic science community. It concluded that there was insufficient...
Coercive interrogation, false diagnosis point to wrongful plea
In 2005, an infant died in Amy Wilkerson’s care. She picked him up to feed him a bottle, and he made a terrible face, almost gasping for air, she says. Then he went limp. She called 911 and performed CPR. The baby was taken to a hospital, but he was taken off of life...