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Forensic Microbiology and Criminal Investigations
by Douglas Ankney
According to microbiologists, every individual has a “unique community of microorganisms on and within their body.” These communities, known as “microbiomes,” consist of microbes “specific to different parts of the body, can persist over long periods of time and can be transferred to other people …
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More from this issue:
- DNA Databases, Privacy Concerns, and Noble Cause Bias, by Michael Thompson
- Third Circuit Announces Rehaif Applies Retroactively to Cases on Collateral Review and Rules Second-in-Time § 2255 Petition Not Successive Where Defendant Resentenced Prior to Second Petition, by Sam Rutherford
- Ninth Circuit Announces Issues Not Raised in Prior Appeal Are Not Waived on Subsequent Appeal Following De Novo Resentencing, by Douglas Ankney
- AI-Generated Police Reports Must Have Guardrails for Inaccuracy, Bias, Transparency, and Review, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Law Review Article Reports Metadata on Victims of Coercive Plea Bargaining, by Matthew Clarke
- First Circuit Announces Doctrine of Abatement Ab Initio Applies When Defendant Dies During Pendency of Direct Appeal in Published Precedential Ruling, by Douglas Ankney
- Maryland Governor Pardons Thousands of Low-Level Marijuana Convictions, Seeking to Right Historical Wrongs, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Investigation Reveals That Almost 90% of Discipline Records Temporarily Disappeared From Officer Tracking System Used by the NYPD, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Push Notifications: Yet Another Secret Surveillance Technique, by Michael Thompson
- The Steady Slide Towards Tyranny: How Freedom Dies from A to Z, by John W. Whitehead, Nisha Whitehead
- Years of Warnings Ignored as DNA Analyst at Colorado Crime Lab Allegedly Cut Corners, Her Misconduct Casts Doubt on Thousands of Cases, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Indiana Supreme Court Announces Proper Procedural Framework for Civil Forfeiture and Who Constitutes an ‘Owner’, by Sam Rutherford
- Eighth Circuit Holds Right to Self-Representation Is Not Forfeited Based Solely on Defendant’s Repeated Assertion of Frivolous ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Arguments, by Sam Rutherford
- Maryland Eliminates Parole Fees, by Douglas Ankney
- California Court of Appeal Holds Defendant Suffering From ALS and Near Death Entitled to Compassionate Release, by Sam Rutherford
- Forensic Microbiology and Criminal Investigations, by Douglas Ankney
- The FBI Really Doesn’t Want the Public to Know About This Surveillance Device, by Michael Thompson
- Thousands of Americans’ Mail Monitored by Law Enforcement, Records Reveal, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Tenth Circuit: Mere Presence in Vehicle Used to Transport Large Quantity of Drugs Insufficient to Establish Necessary Intent for Conspiracy Conviction, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal Announces Correct Legal Standard for Whether Dismissal of Sentence Enhancement Would ‘Endanger Public Safety’ Under § 1385(c)(2) Is Dangerousness at Time of Future Release, Not at Time of Resentencing Under SB 1393, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Double Jeopardy Applies When Prosecutor’s Misconduct Willfully Disregarded Resulting Mistrial, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Admission of Defendant’s Rap Videos at Trial Was Unfair Propensity Evidence and Orders New Trial, by Sam Rutherford
- Woman Left Handcuffed in Parked Cop Car Struck by Train Settles Suit for $8.5 Million, by Douglas Ankney
- Washington Court of Appeals Clarifies ‘Nexus’ Standard Authorizing Warrantless Searches of Parolees and Probationers, by Sam Rutherford
- Colorado Law Enforcement Agencies Will Soon Send Drones Instead of Cops in Response to 911 Calls, by Douglas Ankney
- California Court of Appeal: In SB 483, Legislature Intended to Prohibit Prosecution Withdrawing Plea Agreement for Any Sentence Reduction in § 1172.75 Resentencing Hearing, Even Reductions Based on Code Provisions Not Enacted by SB 483—Deepening Split in, by David Reutter
- First Circuit Holds Government Breached Plea Agreement With Defendant by Failing to Explain Why It Agreed to Substantial Downward-Variant Sentence, by Sam Rutherford
- News in Brief
- The Catch-22 of Qualified Immunity, by Douglas Ankney
- Hair Drug Testing: New Approach Differentiates Deliberate Ingestion or Introduction From Environmental Exposure, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Behavioral Health Experts Claim Head Movement While Speaking Indicator Whether Women Are Psychopathic, by Douglas Ankney
- California Court of Appeal: Defendant’s Conversation With Officers Not Consensual Based on Officers’ Positioning and Manner of Approaching Legally Parked Vehicle so Evidence Obtained Resulting From Conversation Must Be Suppressed, by Douglas Ankney
More from Douglas Ankney:
- The Dramatic Increase in the Elderly Prison Population Is Fiscally and Morally Irresponsible, Oct. 1, 2026
- Second Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity but Clarifies that 14th Amendment ‘Objective Reasonableness’ Is Standard of Review for Pretrial Detainee’s Claim of Sexual Abuse, Oct. 1, 2026
- California Supreme Court Announces Totality-of-Circumstances Framework Focused on Defendant’s Subjective Understanding Under § 1473.7(a)(1), Holding Immigration Consequences Advisement Is Relevant but Not Dispositive, Oct. 1, 2026
- Idaho Supreme Court Holds Conflicting Affidavits About Plea Acceptance Require Evidentiary Hearing on Ineffective-Assistance Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit Vacates Award of Costs to Prison Officials, Revives Prisoner’s Claim Alleging Denial of Access to Functioning Toilets and Exposure to Other Prisoners’ Feces, Oct. 1, 2026
- Second Circuit Vacates Above-Guidelines Firearm-Trafficking Sentence Based on Failure to Assist Law Enforcement and Unexplained Reliance on Factors Already Included in Guidelines Range, Sept. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Convictions, Holding Requirement That Defendant Testify Before Displaying Hand Tattoos Violates Fifth Amendment, Sept. 1, 2026
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces Postconviction DNA-Testing Orders Need Only Identify Statutory Reason to Satisfy R.C. 2953.73(D) “Reasons” Requirement, Sept. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Upholds Consultants’ Finding that Oklahoma Is Not Honoring Its Consent Decree to Provide Mental Health Treatment, Sept. 1, 2026
- Idaho Legislature Moves to Hide Execution Protocol from Judicial Scrutiny, Sept. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Your DNA Was at the Scene, But You Weren’t: How Touch DNA Is Convicting the Innocent, June 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Wrongful Conviction, DNA Evidence, Evidence - Admissibility, Claim of Innocence.
- Zombie Forensics: Discredited Science Stalking the Courtroom, Dec. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Forensic Sciences, Opinions and Expert Testimony.
- Police AI and “Sycophancy”: New Evidence Tools May Tell Cops Exactly What They Want to Hear, Dec. 15, 2025. junk science, Police State-Surveillance, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.
- Beyond a Reasonable Doubt? Fingerprint Evidence’s Troubling Flaws, April 15, 2025. junk science, Wrongful Conviction, Fingerprint Evidence.
- Cops’ Lie-Detecting Delusion: They Can’t Spot Lies Based on Nonverbal Cues or ‘Abnormal’ Behavior—Yet Keep Lying to Themselves (and Ruining Lives) That They Can, April 15, 2025. junk science, Aberrant Behavior, Violent anti-social behavior, Lie Detector Tests.
- A Guilty Voice: Is Voice Analysis Junk Science or Reliable Evidence?, March 15, 2025. junk science, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of.
- Study Confirms New York City’s ShotSpotter Deployment Was a Costly Misstep, March 15, 2025. junk science, Use of a Gun.
- Bite Marks and Broken Justice: A Louisiana Man’s Life and Death Struggle Against Junk Science, March 15, 2025. junk science, Wrongful Conviction.
- Study: DNA Transfer in Social Settings, Feb. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, Forensic Sciences, DNA Evidence, DNA Evidence/Testing.
- Study Reveals Best DNA Recovery Spots on Drug Baggies, Feb. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, War on Drugs, DNA Evidence/Testing.





