NIST scientist Becky Steffen answers questions regarding her preparation of a “Human DNA Standard” which helps forensic laboratories maintain accurate DNA test results.
Human DNA Standard — A Q&A With NIST’s Becky SteffenRead More
Resources
Sample Motion Requesting Disclosure of SCL Analyst Certification Results
Sample Motion to Preserve Evidence for Analyst Certifications
This sample motion contains a request for specific discovery, motion to preserve evidence and motion to produce for an in camera inspection by the court is another approach.
Sample Motion to Preserve Evidence for Analyst CertificationsRead More
Motion to Release SCL Analyst Certification Information, Buncombe County, 06/12/12
June 12, 2012 State’s Motion requesting information regarding State Crime Lab certification exams. No file stamped version is available.
Motion to Release SCL Analyst Certification Information, Buncombe County, 06/12/12Read More
Continuance Order, Buncombe County, 06/13/12
Hearing regarding SCL analyst certification results has been continued to June 26, 2012 at 2 pm.
Court Order SCL Analyst Certification Information, Buncombe County, 07/13/12
Judge Gary M. Gavenus’s July 13, 2012 order requiring the State Crime Laboratory furnish to each District Attorney in the State the first and second letter containing the actual certification exam results and designated areas requiring further study.
Court Order SCL Analyst Certification Information, Buncombe County, 07/13/12Read More
Moore Memo to Defense Attorneys Regarding SBI Analyst Results, Buncombe County, 07/17/12
July 17, 2012 memo to defense attorneys regarding Judge Gavenus’s order.
Moore Memo to Defense Attorneys Regarding SBI Analyst Results, Buncombe County, 07/17/12Read More
Moore Letter to Defense Attorneys, Buncombe County,08/02/12
August 2, 2012 letter notifying defense attorneys who represented clients in approximately 80 resolved cases involving an analyst who was unsuccessful on his or her certifying exam. The letter specifies how information on analyst certification exam results will be provided based on Judge Gavenus’s order.
Moore Letter to Defense Attorneys, Buncombe County,08/02/12Read More
Mental Health Expert Witnesses: A Primer for Attorneys
Dr. Amy James, PsyD, is offering a one-day CLE program for attorneys in New Bern, NC. To register, email dramyjames@gmail.com by Aug. 15, 2019. The cost is $175.00.
Mental Health Expert Witnesses: A Primer for AttorneysRead More
Fingerprints and Miscarriages of Justice: ‘Other’ Types of Error and A Post-Conviction Right to Database Searching
This July 2018 article by Simon Cole and Barry Scheck provides a systematic and comprehensive examination of “other” types of error in friction ridge analysis beyond erroneous identifications, including 40 publicly-exposed cases containing these errors. The article also calls for access to post-conviction database searching of fingerprint and other forensic databases.
No Longer the Gold Standard: Probabilistic Genotyping is Changing the Nature of DNA Evidence in Criminal Trials
Evidence Management Conference
The webcast from the 2019 NIST Evidence Management Conference is now available for free on-demand viewing. The issue of evidence management has become a national concern for several reasons, including the movement to resolve sexual assault kit backlogs, headlines describing problems in evidence rooms and scientific advances that have led to an increase in the amount of evidence being submitted …
Putting Science in Forensic Science
Symposium of the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences and the Center on Wrongful Convictions. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Agenda and registration information is available here.
State v. Denton, COA18-742 (2019)
Felony death by vehicle case where the trooper accident reconstruction expert who analyzed the accident could not reach a conclusive expert opinion about who was driving. An officer provided lay opinion testimony based on the same information. The court concluded: “the facts about the accident and measurements available were simply not sufficient to support an …
Forensic Science Research Innovation to Implementation Symposium (RI2I)
For crime laboratories, transferring forensic science research into practice is a challenging problem. Thousands of research papers are published in forensic science journals every year, yet many innovations never make it to the crime lab. What can the forensic science community do differently so that new technologies come online faster? How can obstacles to successful …
Forensic Science Research Innovation to Implementation Symposium (RI2I)Read More