Reposted from the NC Office of the Juvenile Defender Blog My high schooler is currently working on a Civics Literacy project in which she is tasked with creating a summary of candidates running for office and including relevant information about their platforms. Citing her resources for the information is important – she knows that if …
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Webinar: Challenging eyewitness ID testimony and utilizing defense experts
Live webinar presented by Dr. Lori Van Wallendael and Attorney Greg Tosi May 5, 2022, 12:30 pm 90 min of CLE credit anticipated Description: This program will discuss current eyewitness identification research. Dr. Van Wallendael will explain what issues attorneys should look out for in an ID case that might indicate problems with the identification. …
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DNA Mixtures Webinar: Likelihood ratios and challenges to STRMix evidence
Live webinar presented by Dr. Maher “Max” Noureddine and Attorney Elizabeth Vasquez June 2, 2022, 12:30 pm 90 min of CLE credit anticipated Description:This presentation will provide in-depth information about likelihood ratios and probabilistic genotyping (PG) software used to interpret complex DNA mixtures. After a brief overview of the concepts of likelihood ratio and probabilistic …
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Free online courses: Forensic science and Forensic mental health
Project 39A, a criminal justice initiative at National Law University, Delhi, in collaboration with Eleos Justice at Monash University, has recently launched two interdisciplinary courses — Decoding Forensics for Legal Professionals and Forensic Mental Health and Criminal Justice. These interactive and self-paced courses are now freely available on FutureLearn, an e-learning platform. These courses include …
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Announcing Expert Services Project
We want court appointed attorneys to use experts, and we want using experts to be easier for attorneys. Access to qualified expert services is essential to the provision of indigent defense. To better equip the North Carolina public defense community with the resources it needs to achieve fair and just outcomes for clients, Indigent Defense …
Legal Aid Society of NY’s DNA Unit Presents Foundation of DNA Defense
Don’t miss out on a great free-to-attend webinar program offered Mar. 30 – Apr. 1, 2022. The Legal Aid Society of NY presents a DNA conference annually. This year’s focus is “Unpacking the 2021 NIST Report.” There will be three days of presentations on the latest information related to forensic DNA evidence. The speaker line-up …
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Results from a Black-Box Study for Digital Forensic Examiners
In Feb. 2022, NIST published the results of a study that looked at outcomes of mock mobile and hard-drive examinations by digital forensic examiners. 394 individuals registered for the mobile test, and 77 participants completed the mobile case study. 450 individuals registered for the hard-drive test and 102 participants completed the hard drive case study. …
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“You’re Wrong About” Podcast on Junk Science
Sarah Marshall and Josie Duffy Rice discuss the role of unreliable scientific evidence in the criminal justice system in the Feb. 20, 2022 edition of Marshall’s “You’re Wrong About” podcast. The episode is available here. The podcast looks at several types of evidence including blood spatter and bitemark evidence. While many attorneys are familiar with …
Geofence warrant was unconstitutional
On Mar. 4, 2022, a federal judge ruled that use of geofence data in a Virginia case violated the Fourth Amendment. The decision in US v. Chatrie is available here. A geofence is law enforcement use of Google location data to find people who were near a crime scene. Geofence searches have been used in …
Webinar: Challenging the foundational validity of a forensic method
Live webinar presented by Attorney Hannah Autry, and Assistant Public Defender Samantha Grill, and Pate Skene, J.D., Ph.D.Mar. 3, 2022, 12:30-2 pm90 min of CLE credit anticipated Description:Indigent Defense Services and the Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office will offer a series of monthly webinars which prepare attorneys to challenge unreliable forensic science evidence in 702/Daubert …
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State Crime Lab Updates
The State Crime Lab provided their Forensic Update Volume 6, No.1 on Jan. 24, 2022. Attorneys should review the Forensic Update to understand several changes to reports in Drug Chemistry and Toxicology effective Feb. 1, 2022, regarding no longer reporting the schedule of identified substances on drug analysis lab reports and suspending further testing of …
Announcing 2022 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
To report attendance in the 2022 series, please use this link: https://forms.gle/CZ2cYwvktuYsCEQn9 In 2021, IDS provided over 1000 hours of continuing education to dozens of NC criminal defense and parent attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, and experts who attended the IDS Forensic Science Education Series. It has been a great way to provide free-to-attend forensic training …
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Whiskey in the Courtroom 8: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science – Firearms Evidence
Indigent Defense Services, the Duke Law Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility, and the Wilson Center for Science and Justice are pleased to announce the eighth annual CLE, “Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science.” Whiskey 8 will take place on March 4, 2022 at Duke Law School. We plan to be in-person …
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Cost and procedures for accessing autopsy information
Some common questions come up in homicide cases when a defense attorney needs to access information from the OCME and regional autopsy centers and speak with the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy in the case. This post addresses some of these questions using information obtained from the four offices that perform autopsies for North …
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Legal Professionals Complete 2021 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
IDS would like to recognize the following attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and mitigation specialists who completed at least 10 hours of training through the 2021 IDS Forensic Science Education Series: Dan AnthonyJulie BoyerRichard CullerMalea DrewSteven EhlersS. Stephen Goodwin Karen JacksonBellonora McCallumShelby McCoy-PettifordM. LeAnn MeltonSusan SeahornWalter SmithJanet ThomasShannon TuckerScott WaligoraKimberly WhitehouseTiffany Wilson During the year, these legal …
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