Skip navigation

Search

44 results
A Critical Safeguard for the Accused: NIST’s New DNA Standard Challenges the Reliability of “Messy” Crime Scene Evidence by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott In a move to strengthen the accountability and scientific rigor of forensic evidence, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) released Reference Material …
The Unintentional Informant: Household Pets as Vectors of Human DNA by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott When forensic investigators arrive at a crime scene, they search for DNA on surfaces, clothing, and objects. Increasingly, research suggests they may also need to consider the household pet. Studies led by …
Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies Framework for Evaluating Extraordinary Motions for New Trial Based on Scientific Developments, Holding Trial Court Applied Incorrect Legal Standard in Denying “Shaken Baby Syndrome” Challenge by David Kim by David Kim The Supreme Court of Georgia clarified that the diligence requirement for extraordinary motions for new …
Maine Supreme Judicial Court Announces Trial Courts Must Rigorously Scrutinize Reliability of Expert Testimony in Unrecognized Forensic Fields, Holding Trial Court Erred in Admitting Forensic Podiatry Footprint-Comparison Testimony Without a Demonstrated by Douglas Ankney by Doug Ankney In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine held that the …
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Expert Testimony on Manner of Death Must Satisfy Same Reasonable-Degree-of-Certainty Standard Applicable to All Expert Opinions by David Kim by David Kim In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held that expert testimony regarding the manner of a decedent’s death must be stated to …
When Words Mislead: Replacing “Touch” and “Trace DNA” with “Transfer DNA” by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott The forensic community is experiencing a critical shift in how biological evidence is described in the courtroom. For decades, terms like “Touch DNA,” “Trace DNA,” and “Wearer DNA” have been staples …
Tiny Plants, Big Consequences: Moss Evidence in Courtrooms by David Kim by David Kim When a 4-­month-­old girl known to the public only as “Baby Kate” vanished from a small Michigan town in 2011, detectives eventually found themselves staring not at a crime-­scene photograph or a cell-­tower map, but at …
New Jersey Supreme Court Announces “Shaking Without Impact” Expert Testimony Inadmissible, Holding Shaken Baby Syndrome Diagnosis Lacks Required General Acceptance Within Biomechanical Engineering Community Under Frye by David Kim by David Kim he Supreme Court of New Jersey affirmed the exclusion of expert testimony regarding Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma …
Zombie Forensics: Discredited Science Stalking the Courtroom by Chuck Sharman by Chuck Sharman In the American courtroom, the word “forensic” carries a veneer of infallibility. Jurors hear it and envision the sleek laboratories of television crime dramas with sterile rooms humming with sophisticated technology, where evidence is processed by advanced …
New Infrared Light Research on Blow Fly Larvae Reveals Clues to Time of by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott Texas A&M AgriLife Research has developed a new forensic tool that could revolutionize how investigators estimate time of death. Researchers have devised a technique using infrared light and machine …
Maine Supreme Judicial Court Vacates Conviction Based on Confrontation Clause Where Toxicologist Testified About Toxicology Tests Performed by Others, Which SCOTUS Rejected in Smith v. Arizona by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine vacated Rochelle Gleason’s conviction for aggravated trafficking of a scheduled drug that …
NYC Murder Convictions Vacated After Withheld Evidence Reveals “Factually Impossible” Coerced Confession by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott A Manhattan judge vacated the convictions of Brian Boles and Charles Collins for a 1994 Harlem murder, the Innocence Project reported. Judge Ruth Pickholz ended the nearly three-decade ordeal, which …
How to Build a Human; A Forensics Company Tells Cops It Can Use DNA to Predict a Suspect’s Face. Scientists Worry the Tool Will Deepen Racial Bias. by Jordan Smith Originally published on February 2, 2025. Republished with permission from The Intercept https://theintercept.com/2025/02/02/forensic-dna-phenotyping-parabon-nanolabs-police/, an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to …
‘Sexome’ Bacteria Offers New Path to Justice in Sexual Assault Cases Where DNA Is Not Present by Jo Ellen Nott Forensic science has traditionally relied on DNA evidence from sperm to identify suspects in sexual assault cases. However, when no sperm is present—such as when a perpetrator uses a condom—these …
AI Identifies Sex From Skulls Faster and More Accurately Than Experts by James Mills by James Mills Artificial intelligence has exceeded human capabilities in yet another area. AI has surpassed human forensic experts in determining biological sex from skeletal remains. Forensic anthropologists traditionally analyze human skeletons to estimate age, lifestyle, …
A Black Box, a Guilty Plea, and an Uncertain Truth by Michael Thompson by Michael Dean Thompson In forensic technology, the term “black box” has gained prominence. It describes a system whose inner workings remain opaque—an output emerges, but how it is produced eludes the user. Such black-box algorithms underpin …
Article • March 15, 2025 • from CLN April, 2025
Faster Justice: Rapid DNA Set to Expand Law Enforcement Reach by Jo Ellen Nott by Jo Ellen Nott In a significant development for forensic science, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) approved updates to the Quality Assurance Standards (“QAS”) for Forensic Laboratories in January, paving the way for DNA profiles …
Article • March 15, 2025 • from CLN April, 2025
FBI Pressured Forensic Science Group to Censor Critical Workshops, Emails Reveal by Michael Thompson by Michael Dean Thompson When the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (“AAFS”) announced its lineup of workshops for a recent conference, Ted Hunt, a senior policy advisor to the FBI’s crime lab, demanded that references to …
Article • February 15, 2025 • from CLN March, 2025
Study: DNA Transfer in Social Settings by Michael Thompson by Michael Dean Thompson With every breath you take, you shed DNA. It is in the skin cells that flake off your body by the millions, the hair that floats off as you walk, and the oil you leave behind on …
Article • February 1, 2025 • from CLN February, 2025
Federal Facial Recognition Technology Fails Again by Michael Thompson by Michael Dean Thompson The federal government has again discovered that its use of facial recognition technology (“FRT”) harms Americans. The agencies using the technology are often doing so with little oversight or training, which is what the Government Accountability Office …
Page 1 of 3. | 1 2 3 | Next »