The Forensic Book Club has selected its next read and we hope you’ll join us in reading and discussing it! Our next book will be Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers. We’ll meet virtually to discuss on July 13 at 6 pm. Note that you may want to get the …
Crime Labs
Forensic Book Club
The Forensic Book Club has selected its next read and we hope you’ll join us in reading and discussing it! Our next book will be The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story. We’ll meet virtually to discuss on Mar. 30 at 6 pm. This book came out in 2025 and generated a …
Forensic crime labs are buckling as new technology increases demand
State Crime Lab Tour Offered
Would you like to see where evidence is tested at the State Crime Lab and learn more about the methods used at the Lab? The NC State Crime Laboratory is offering a tour of the Lab in Raleigh for criminal defense attorneys and investigators. The tour will take place on June 19, 2025 at 9:30 …
Criminal defense group visits State Crime Lab
Here are some staff members from the 39th Defender District PD Office (serving Cleveland and Lincoln counties). Pictured left to right: Tim Hajj (Investigator); Hailey Porterfield (APD); Andrew Arden (APD); Deidre Nachamie (APD); Allison Garren (APD); and Ivana Hughes (APD). About 20 assistant public defenders, private defense counsel, investigators and legal assistants from Rutherford, Lincoln, Cleveland, …
Open House at the State Crime Lab
The North Carolina State Crime Lab is offering open house opportunities for the public. Scientists from the various disciplines will be available to provide demonstrations and answer questions. The open houses will take place at the following times: Raleigh Lab – April 8, 2025: 4-8 pm and April 10, 2025: 4-8 pm Western Lab – …
Harris County toxicologist fired for ‘untruthfulness’ prompts notice to more than 1,200 defendants
CMPD crime analyst accused of manipulating DNA testing processes
Western Regional State Crime Lab tour offered
Would you like to see where evidence is tested at the State Crime Lab and learn more about the methods used at the Lab? The NC State Crime Laboratory is offering a tour of the Western Regional Lab in Edneyville for criminal defense attorneys and investigators. The tour will take place on Apr. 4, 2025 …
Colorado DNA analyst appears on forgery charges as validity of more than 500 cases in doubt
Smith v. Arizona Comes to NC
As regular readers know, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Smith v. Arizona, 602 U.S. 779 (2024), this past June. The decision undercut the reasoning used by North Carolina courts to justify the practice of permitting substitute analysts to offer an independent opinion about the forensic report of another, nontestifying analyst (as discussed here and here). Until this week, no …
Come read with us!
The Forensic Book Club is starting its second book and will meet virtually to discuss on Feb. 10 at 7 pm. We hope you’ll join us. We are a group of defenders, scientists, one prosecutor, one ombudsperson, and a judge! The next book we’ll be discussing is Blood, Powder, and Residue: How Crime Labs Translate …
NC State Crime Laboratory Welcomes New Director
Amanda W. Thompson has accepted a new role as Director of the North Carolina State Crime Laboratory. Director Thompson has been with the crime laboratory since 2000. She was hired as a DNA Database Analyst and then promoted to a Forensic Scientist in the Forensic Biology Section where she served as a Forensic Serologist and …
Human Factors and Cognitive Bias in Forensic Science – What Does the Research Say?
Live webinar presented by Adele Quigley-McBride, PhD, LLBAug 1, 2024, 12:30pm90 min of CLE credit anticipated Research and post-mortem evaluations of wrongful conviction cases have shed light on some of the problems contributing to errors in forensic science in the US. Although research explicitly designed to apply to forensic testing procedures is in its infancy, …
Human Factors and Cognitive Bias in Forensic Science – What Does the Research Say?Read More
Notice of Objection
Sample notice of objection to the admission of lab report without the testimony of the chemical analyst