A myth that lingers on: Casual contact with fentanyl causes overdosesRead More
Toxicology
State v. Teesateskie (2021)
The defendant also argued on appeal that the trial court should not have allowed the State’s expert to testify as to possible reasons why Hydrocodone did not show up in the defendant’s blood test, because that testimony violated Rule 702 in that it was not based on scientific or technical knowledge, was impermissibly based on …
Medical Examiner’s Office chief toxicologist faces criminal probe with potential legal ramifications in years of cases (FL)
The effect of contextual information on decision-making in forensic toxicology
This recent study by Dr. Hilary J. Hamnett and Dr. Itiel E. Dror looked into the possible effects of contextual case information in forensic toxicology testing. Two experiments were conducted in this study. The first focused on the interpretation of immunoassay screening data and the error rates of the participants’ conclusions. The participants were asked …
The effect of contextual information on decision-making in forensic toxicologyRead More
Washington State Patrol’s toxicology lab ran tests in office contaminated by meth, possibly jeopardizing thousands of cases
The effect of contextual information on decision-making in forensic toxicology
This study investigates the effects of contextual information on forensic toxicology testing and analysis. By Hilary J. Hamlett & Itiel E. Dror
The effect of contextual information on decision-making in forensic toxicologyRead More
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana Intoxication
National Institute of Justice-supported researchers from RTI International recently published the results of their research showing that field sobriety tests and THC levels are unreliable indicators of marijuana intoxication. The full study can be read here. A summary of the research is available here and provided the following take-aways that will be of interest for …
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana IntoxicationRead More
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana Intoxication
Researchers investigated how marijuana affects skills required for safe driving and found that biofluid levels of THC did not correlate with field sobriety test performance or marijuana intoxication, regardless of how the cannabis was ingested.
Field Sobriety Tests and THC Levels Unreliable Indicators of Marijuana IntoxicationRead More
Seventh Annual Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science
Presented by the North Carolina Indigent Defense legal Services, Duke Law Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility, and the Duke Law Center for Science and Justice, the seventh annual Whiskey in the Courtroom will take place March 4th through 5th. This year the symposium will be hosted virtually through the Duke Law School. Each year, …
Seventh Annual Whiskey in the Courtroom: Evolving Trends in Forensic ScienceRead More
Defending Drug Overdose Homicides Training
Location: a Live NACDL Virtual EventDates: Runs weekly on Thursdays from January 28 – February 18, 2021Cost: Free Program Description: With opioid-related deaths devastating communities across the country, many legislatures, prosecutors, and law-enforcement officers are choosing to treat these accidental overdose deaths as homicides. Despite the fact that there is no empirical evidence to suggest that such prosecutions stem …
Woman who cost parents custody of their children headed to prison
State v. Pabon, 850 S.E.2d 512 (2020)
A SCL analyst testified to the results of another analyst’s testing. However, he personally reviewed the data and offered his own opinion, which the court held did not violate the Confrontation Clause.
Forensic Toxicology: Methods Used and Common Errors in Screening and Confirmatory Tests
NC criminal defense and parent attorneys and their investigators may register for the program using this link. This five-hour live webinar on Nov. 19-20, 2020 will provide attorneys having little science training with the basics about the various forensic toxicology principles and techniques employed by forensic laboratories, contract labs, and probation officers around the country. …
Forensic Toxicology: Methods Used and Common Errors in Screening and Confirmatory TestsRead More
Forensic Toxicology: Methods Used and Common Errors in Screening and Confirmatory Tests
Free webinar offered by NCIDS
Forensic Toxicology: Methods Used and Common Errors in Screening and Confirmatory TestsRead More
OSAC Registry Approved Standards
Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Evidence (OSAC) is developing documentary standards for each forensic discipline. Standards under consideration as well as approved standards are available in the OSAC Registry.