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United States v. Alls, No. 2:08-cr-00223-ALM (S.D. Ohio Dec. 7, 2009).

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Defendant filed a motion to exclude expert testimony which was denied in part and granted in part. The court held that the expert could provide testimony concerning toolmark evidence, but could not testify that a match was found to a degree of certainty which excludes all other firearms in the world from being the source.

United States v. Alls, No. 2:08-cr-00223-ALM (S.D. Ohio Dec. 7, 2009).Read More

United States v. Love, No. 2:09-cr-20317-JPM (W.D. Tenn. Feb. 8, 2011).

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Although the defendant’s motion to exclude testimony was denied, the court held that the toolmark expert may not testify that a match was found to an “absolute” or “practical” certainty.  This conclusion was reached after evidence was presented that suggested this level of certainty was impossible.

United States v. Love, No. 2:09-cr-20317-JPM (W.D. Tenn. Feb. 8, 2011).Read More

U.S. v. Willock, 696 F. Supp. 2d 536 (D. Md., 2010).

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The court ruled that toolmark evidence is relevant, helpful, and reliable if offered by a qualified examiner who followed the AFTE theory. Id. at 569-570. There should be documentation (photographs, notes, etc.) of the conclusions reached to allow confirmation by a second qualified examiner on how an identification was reached.  Id. This documentation should also …

U.S. v. Willock, 696 F. Supp. 2d 536 (D. Md., 2010).Read More

State v. McKinnie, 850 S.E.2d 361 (2020) (unpub)

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Not error to admit expert testimony from the CMPD fingerprint analyst who testified she did not find any dissimilarities and were similar. The trial court had ruled that under McPhaul since there’s no standard or no recognized methodology to be applied the expert can’t testify that they match. The Court of Appeals found her conclusion …

State v. McKinnie, 850 S.E.2d 361 (2020) (unpub)Read More

Tribble v. U.S., 447 A.2d 766 (D.C. 1982).

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Santae A. Tribble was convicted of killing a taxi driver in 1978. He spent 28 years in prison for a murder that he did not commit. Key evidence at his trial came from separate FBI experts who testified that their scientific analysis proved with near certainty that Tribble’s hair was at the crime scene. However, …

Tribble v. U.S., 447 A.2d 766 (D.C. 1982).Read More

State v. Bridges, No. 90 CRS23102-04, 2015 WL 12670468 (N.C. Super. Ct. Oct. 1, 2015).

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In North Carolina, Timothy Scott Bridges was serving life for the rape of an 83-year old woman in Charlotte, in May of 1990. The evidence used at trial was microscopy hair evidence. He was convicted by a jury in Mecklenburg County for the charges of first-degree rape, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to …

State v. Bridges, No. 90 CRS23102-04, 2015 WL 12670468 (N.C. Super. Ct. Oct. 1, 2015).Read More

Forensic Science Laboratory Manual and Workbook

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Relevant Chapters Include: Experiment 8: Crime Scene Investigation: Safeguarding, Searching, Recognition, Documentation, Collection, Packaging, and Preservation of Physical Evidence Experiment 9: Trace Evidence Collection and Sorting Experiment 11: Examination of Human Hair  Experiment 14: Examination of Trace Quantities of Synthetic Fibers

Forensic Science Laboratory Manual and WorkbookRead More