In a 6-part podcast, host and filmmaker Molly Hermann traces the roots of various forensic techniques and the questions surrounding their accuracy. Each episode will focus on one technique, and is informed by criminal defense attorneys who have challenged the reliability of this evidence in court. The second episode looks at bitemark evidence and the …
CIFS Bite Mark Video is Now Available on YouTube
The Center for Integrity in Forensic Science (CIFS) has released their first animated video. The video explores the problematic use of bite mark comparison evidence in the justice system. CIFS’s primary goal in creating the video is to raise public awareness about the flaws in bite mark evidence and educate potential jurors on its unreliability. …
Western North Carolina Death Investigation Conference
Live full-day webinarApril 22, 2023Offered by Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC), a program of Wake Forest University School of Medicine Attorneys handling homicide cases who are looking to update their knowledge of forensic pathology should consider attending this excellent program that is offered annually. The training is geared toward medical examiners and forensic practitioners, …
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Webinar: Firearms 101
Live webinar presented by Josh Wright Apr. 6, 2023, 12:30 pm 90 min of CLE credit anticipated This program is the third in a series of 4 webinars focused on issues related to firearms evidence. Josh Wright will provide a basic primer on the mechanics of a gun firing a bullet. He will describe the …
The Mercy Workers
The Marshall Project published a feature on mitigation specialists and their work, entitled The Mercy Workers. For attorneys familiar with the valuable work of mitigation specialists documenting childhood traumas, family dynamics, and systemic failures that shape the lives of criminal defendants, the feature will reinforce the importance of this type of expert assistance. For attorneys …
“Is This Research Credible?”: A New FIU Forensic Library Video
The Florida International University Research Forensic Library has released a new video: “Is This Research Credible?” The short video provides four easy to follow steps on how to evaluate the credibility of research, from articles to testimonies. Attorneys may find the tips helpful when reviewing research that an expert has relied upon. You can access the video here: The Research Forensic …
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Webinar: Forensic Lab Quality Systems
Live webinar presented by Timothy Suggs and Jordan Duhe Willetts Mar. 2, 2023, 12:30 pm 90 min of CLE credit anticipated This program is the second in a series of 4 webinars focused on issues related to firearms evidence. NC State Crime Lab Quality Manager Timothy Suggs will help attorneys understand how the quality system …
Join the Indigent Defense Services Team
Indigent Defense Services (IDS) is seeking a Recruitment and Training Coordinator to equip defenders to provide more effective legal services for our indigent clients through understanding how developmental and community backgrounds impact both our client population and the attorneys who serve them. This newly-created grant-funded position represents an exciting opportunity to impact personnel and practice in the representation of …
Use of Rap Lyrics at Trial
Whether the prosecution can use rap lyrics as evidence of a defendant’s guilt comes up regularly in criminal cases. Researchers have found evidence of rap lyrics being introduced in hundreds of criminal cases nationwide. In North Carolina, the use of rap lyrics was upheld in the unpublished Court of Appeals decision, State v. Allen, NC …
Digital Investigation Techniques: A NIST Scientific Foundation Review
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized a report in Nov. 2022, first published in draft form in May, that reviews the scientific foundations of forensic methods for analyzing computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices. The full report is available here. Attorneys may find the report helpful for several reasons. First, the report …
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How to Access NC State Crime Lab Procedures and Quality Records
Attorneys often ask me how to access the State Crime Lab’s procedures. I have described how to do it in the post below. I encourage everyone to request access to the procedures and records now because it may take at least one business day for your request to be granted. Once you are given access, …
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2023 Forensic Trial Litigation CLE at Duke Law
February 24 (2 pm to 5 pm) and February 25 (9 am to 12 pm, 2 pm to 5 pm) (and 2 hours prerecorded) Forensic evidence, from DNA to fingerprints to ballistics, has never been more important in criminal cases. Actually litigating scientific evidence in the courtroom can be challenging and requires some specialized skills. A …
Whiskey in the Courtroom 9: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science – DNA Evidence
Registration is now open here for the ninth annual CLE, Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science, sponsored by Indigent Defense Services, the Duke Law Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility, and the Wilson Center for Science and Justice. Whiskey 9 will take place in person only on March 10, 2023 at Duke …
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2023 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
IDS and the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office provide regular continuing education to dozens of NC criminal defense and parent attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists who attend the IDS Forensic Science Education Series. In 2023, we will offer monthly 90-minute webinars on various forensic disciplines and preparations for Daubert/702 challenges. These webinars will take place typically …
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New Resource on Face Recognition
The Georgetown Law Center on Privacy & Technology has released a new report on face recognition which is designed to serve as a resource for researchers and criminal justice stakeholders encountering this technology. The report, “A Forensic Without the Science: Face Recognition in U.S. Criminal Investigations” and accompanying resources, including a brief, motion, affidavit, and …