Forensic News
Wisconsin: Dog Sniff Employed in Arson Investigation (2/2/2010)
The State Fire Marshal now has a new weapon: an ATF trained dog that sniffs out evidence of arson. At suspected arson sites, the trained canine is deployed to detect evidence of flammable liquids. Agents can then take samples to determine the type of substance that was detected.
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Colorado: Unknown Number of DUI Tests Found to Be Flawed (2/1/2010)
A crime lab audit has incresded the number of flawed Colorado Springs police DUI tests to 167. Last year, a probe found inflated blood alcohol test results in the lab. The Colorado Bureau of Investigations is conducting the external investigation and the Police Department is conducting its own internal review to determine the extent of this problem.
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International: UK to Reform its Coroner System (2/1/2010)
The Ministry of Justice plans to appoint a Chief Coroner and solicit ideas to reform its Coroner system this spring. A National Medical Adviser will be named in the Fall to assist the Chief Coroner, as well as a National Medical Examiner. These changes are being introduced as a result of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and the new system is expected to be implemented by April 2012.
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International: United Nations to Use Forensic Science to Combat Illegal Fishing (2/1/2010)
In order to prevent illegal fishing that would deplete protected fish stocks, the UN will begin to apply forensic science in fighting a problem ailing the $86-billion-a-year global fishing industry. Tools to be implemented in this endeavor are DNA analyses to determine the species of a suspect fish product and chemical tests on fish ear bones to pinpoint its origin by testing the absorbed nutrients.
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California: Regulation Needed for Crime Labs (1/30/2010)
A series of questionable drug and alcohol tests used as evidence in San Diego criminal cases has both private and public forensic laboratories under scrutiny. While members of the local criminal justice system may differ on how to improve the forensic evidence used in court, they agree that some regulation, whether through accreditation or by a governmental body, is needed.
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Massachusetts: Boston Latent Print Unit Celebrates Accreditation (1/29/2010)
In 2004, the Boston Police Latent Print Unit was shut down after it was revealed that a mismatched fingerprint lead to a wrongful conviction. Six years later, the latent print unit celebrates the receipt of its national accreditation certificate.
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Canada: Researchers Develop an Infrared Lie Detector (1/28/2010)
University of Toronto researchers developed a device that emits infrared light into the pre-frontal cortex of the brain and uses the intensity of infrared light absorbed in the brain to decode a person's decisions.
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Australia: A Forensic Microbiology Field Kit (1/28/2010)
An Australian government research project, is developing a technique to identify microscopic fungal spores that are brought into the country. The research project plans to develop a field kit to test foreign spores captured at airports by police tape.
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Texas: Backlogs Widespread at Houston Crime Lab (1/27/2010)
The Houston Crime lab, which must reconcile a fingerprint backlog of thousands of fingerprint analyses and 4,000 rape kits, some of which date back to the 1980's, just announced a case backlog of 300 firearms toolmarks analyses. The laboratory has added staff, upgraded facilities and procedures to deal with the backlog.
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International: NATO Countries Band Together to Fight Cybercrime (1/26/2010)
The United States and other NATO countries are working together on cybersecurity. As a threat that has no boundaries, cybercrime is used to steal intellectual property and top secret defense-related information. While the current concern is with Chinese cyberattacks, NATO's joint defense operation was created after massive cyber attacks by Russia on Estonian government websites in 2007.
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National: U.S. Supreme Court Vacates Briscoe v. Virginia (1/25/2010)
The United States Supreme Court issued a one-line decision to vacate Briscoe v. Virginia. Briscoe was a challenge to last year's 5-4 Melendez-Diaz decision which gave the defendant the right to confront forensic analysts who processed the evidence in his case. Dissenters in the case said the decision would create too much of a financial burden on the state/local governments. In Briscoe, the question was whether the defense must assume the burden of calling the forensic analysts rather than having the right to live testimony as the default. The case has been sent back to the Virginia courts to be reheard in proceedings consistent with Melendez-Diaz.
Read more:
LA Times, Chicago Tribune
Michigan: Professor Develops Tattoo Identification Technology (1/24/2010)
A Michigan State University professor has developed a technology allowing police to identify criminals and victims based on their tattoos. Thetechnology can match images based on color, shape, texture and keywords used to describe the tattoo.
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Indiana: DNA Testing on Hair May Free Bunker Hill Man (1/24/2010)
Willie T. Donald was convicted of armed robbery and murder in 1992. Since that time, the primary witness has recanted her testimony. The Medill Innocence Project is obtaining mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) testing on hairs found on the jacket worn by the victim. The mDNA will be compared with hair from Donald and the sister of an alternative suspect. The alternative suspect has since passed away and siblings share the same mitochondrial DNA.
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Michigan: Cell Phones are the New Forensic Tool (1/23/2010)
Police can now use cell phone records to place a person's location during a phone call by determining which cell phone tower was used for the call. Another technique to extract information from cell phones include extractor devices that pull phonebook, call logs, videos and photographs from cell phones.
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California: Fingerprints Used to Nab Car Thiefs (1/22/2010)
George Gascón, the new San Francisco Police Chief, reversed a previous policy in which crime scene investigators collect forensic evidence only at violent crime scenes. He is now training patrol officers to collect fingerprints from cars that are broken into or stolen.
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National: Dividing Digital Forensics (1/20/2010)
The Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE) is an organization that sets standards for the discipline and its members include analysts from the forensic laboratories of the ATF, DEA, FBI, IRS-CID, US Customs, US Postal Inspection Service, the US Secret Service, NASA, and the Department of Defense Computer Forensics Laboratory. In a recent meeting, SWGDE broadened its discipline to "Digital and Multimedia Evidence" and define four sub-disciplines: Computer Forensics, Forensic Audio, Image Analysis, and Video Analysis.
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Texas: Deputy Who Used Dog Scent Line Ups Retiring (1/20/10)
Fort Bend County Sheriff's Deputy Keith Pikett is retiring at the end of January. Pikett is currently facing three lawsuits based on his application of dog scent lineups which resulted in wrongful accusations or convictions. Although retired, Pikett will be retained by Fort Bend as a reserve deputy.
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New York: A Shift in Legal Thinking on Forensic Science (1/20/10)
Since the National Academy of Sciences report on the state of forensic science, skepticism has grown about forensic science and it is clear that the Frye and Daubert standards have not been sufficient to screen out problematic forensic evidence.
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National: Debate Continues Over Use of Lie Detector Devices (1/19/10)
While Dektor Corp. and the National Institute of Truth Verification are vying for market share in lie detectors, debate continues on the use of computer voice stress analyszer (CVSA). According to an expert who has used the technology for 40 years, the results of a
19-year longitudinal study of 2100 crimes showed CVSA was able to produce court admissible confessions 94.6% of the time. According to a recent
NIJ study, VSAs were no more accurate than flipping a coin in detecting drug use. The National Academy of Sciences published a study in 2003 indicating the deficiencies of the technology.
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National: FBI Reviews Closed Cases Involving Discredited Forensic Technique (1/18/10)
Nearly five years after a National Academy of Sciences Report discrediting comparative bullet lead analysis (CBLA), the FBI has yet to finish its review of the approximately 2500 cases in which the technique could have secured a conviction. Since 2005, three CBLA-based convictions have been overturned.
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Minnesota: Forensic Scientists Speak Out (1/18/10)
Tim O'Malley, the Superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in Minnesota, discussed in an editorial his department's conformity to strict accreditation rules and its work with the Minnesota Innocence Project.
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Louisiana: Forensic Hypnotist Discusses Work (1/14/10)
A forensic hypnotist who is also an attorney, mediator and collaborative divorce professional discussed his work in a community forum in Lafayette. He received his degree at the Infinity School of Hypnosis and uses hypnosis to help people recall the events of a crime for criminal and civil cases, commonly to recall details about the perpetrator.
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International: Drug Activity Spurs Need for Forensic Science Education (01/12/10)
Forensic science is experiencing great interest in Mexico. As the activity of drug cartels increases, so do resources aimed to identify these individuals. In addition, changes in the Mexican legal system are creating a need for more independent forensic science experts.
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National: Supreme Court Hears Briscoe v. Virginia (01/11/10)
This week, the Supreme Court heard the arguments of Briscoe v. Virginia to determine whether or not it is constitutional for the prosecution to admit laboratory reports in lieu of live testimony as long as such testimony is not requested by the defendant. The legal community greatly anticipates how Justice Sotomayor, a former prosecutor, will vote in this case. Earlier this year, the Court decided Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, where it decided that the Sixth Amendment's right to confrontation is violated when a defendant does not have the ability to confront the laboratory analyst who processed the evidence in his case. Read more:
Washington Post,
Hampton Roads, New York Times
National: Cybersecurity is Critical to Economic Health (01/11/10)
Electronic forensic services as well as the ability to maintain secure online transmission of information will be critical moving forward as the global economy becomes more and more dependent on the internet. Philip Reitinger, DHS deputy undersecretary of DHS's National Protection and Programs Directorate states that the government must take the lead in making sure the proper measurements and programs are developed to protect our economy.
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California: San Diego Sheriff Terminates Contract with Private Laboratory After Questionable Tests (01/09/10)
Questionable alcohol and drug related forensic tests from the private Pacific Toxicologies laboratory led to the release of at least 11 defendants from a Vista, California jail last month. A review of these cases commenced when it was discovered that a Pacific Toxicologies analyst had falsified laboratory reports at a previous job. The San Diego County Sheriff's office has terminated it's contract with the company and retested the analysts past work.
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New York: Court Review Needed in NYS Crime Lab Cases (1/4/2010)
In light of a recent report by the NYS Inspector General on problems with the analysis of forensic science at NYS Crime Labs, this editorial calls for the State Police to take action in addition to the New York State Justice Task Force's plan to review the investigation's findings.
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National: ATF Laboratory Studying Causes of Arson (1/2/2010)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive Fire Research Laboratory is studying fire crime scene analysis by reconstructing the actual scenes of fires and burning full-scale structures to test fire theories.
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Massachusetts: Court Ruling Strains State Crime Labs (1/1/2010)
Since the Melendez-Diaz decision was handed down by the United States Supreme court, laboratories have been stressed with lower productivity when analysts are called to testify. The prosecution has also experienced financial strains as it must go to great lengths to ensure the testimony of every forensic analyst involved in a case.
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