FSN: Forensic Science News » Opinion

Apple Bans DUI Checkpoint Apps

Forensics Guy — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:00:25 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Apple recently banned “DUI Checkpoint” apps from The iTunes App Store. Mind you there is nothing illegal about the apps, and many jurisdictions publish where DUI checkpoints will be setup well in advance.

Where I live law enforcement doesn’t use the checkpoint system. Instead they use saturation patrolling methods. As I write

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Detroit Needs A Crime Lab

Forensics Guy — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:00:55 +0000

FGI-FSN —

It makes a lot of sense for there to be a full service crime lab in Detroit. Hopefully the state or the city will find a different organization than Detroit PD to run it — after the fiasco that got the last lab closed.

Detroit needs a full-service crime lab. The city generates

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BulletPath — Interesting Blog on Forensic Science

Forensics Guy — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:00:53 +0000

FGI-FSN —

I was recently made aware of a blog called BulletPath by an Amy Driver.

I don’t know Ms Driver, but she certainly has a no nonsense approach to examining the dark underbelly of the accreditation of forensic labs.

It’s certainly worth your while to drop by and read BulletPath if you have an interest in

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Apple iPad Forensics Usability Revisited

Forensics Guy — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:00:18 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Apple iPad forensics revisited. A little over a year ago I made the case as to why the iPad wasn’t cutting it for forensic professionals.

Since that post, I’ve had my second Windows Tablet PC die on me. We’re talking two major names in the PC world. Realizing the problem

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Another Call to Make Crime Labs Independent

Forensics Guy — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:00:45 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Excellent article echoing a common theme here on Forensic Science News. Take the labs out of the police/prosecutors’ offices. Make them independent. Just like what the NAS report said.

Problems with crime labs follow a depressing pattern: a technician makes mistakes or deliberately fudges data. When the errors are eventually discovered, the

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California Crime Laboratory Task Force Disbands

Forensics Guy — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:00:51 +0000

FGI-FSN —

A recent editorial in the SacBee criticizes the Cal. Crime Lab Task Force for disbanding.

The surprising decision of the California Crime Lab Task Force to vote itself out of existence earlier this month is a mistake that puts justice itself at risk. It’s a decision that should be quickly revisited and

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Blogger Attacks Moderness of Equipment Used in Crime Labs

Forensics Guy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:00:54 +0000

FGI-FSN —

A blogger by the name of Steve Weinberg authored a post discussing some shortcomings in today’s crime labs, using Houston PD as an example. While he made some good points, one of them is a bit misleading:

In the wrongful conviction realm, incompetence and dishonesty at police agency crime laboratories rank among the

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How to reduce your chances of a DUI arrest?

Guest Author — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:00:43 +0000

FGI-FSN —

The following post is from a guest author, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Forensics Guy, Inc.

How to reduce your chances of a DUI arrest?

Any person who has even been remotely involved in a DUI case as either a law enforcer, a DUI offender or a victim or even a

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Apple’s iPad : Falling Short For Forensic Scientists

Forensics Guy — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:10 +0000

FGI-FSN —

The Apple iPad falls short for forensic scientists, and other professionals. Let me start off by saying I’ve primarily been an Apple user since the Apple ][+. The first Microsoft device I ever used at my house was the original Xbox. The first Windows based PC was purchased about 3

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Retrograde Extrapolations

Forensics Guy — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:41:36 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Retrograde extrapolations are a somewhat controversial calculation performed in forensic alcohol cases (DUI cases). The goal is to predict what someone’s alcohol concentration would be earlier in time, given a known concentration later in time.

The reason it is controversial is that is heavily relies on assumptions, many of which are not in evidence.

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How To Find the Right Phoenix DUI Attorney

Forensics Guy — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:28:12 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Part of my practice as a DUI expert witness involves working with Phoenix DUI attorneys. Everything from case reviews, to helping write reports detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the prosecutor and defense attorney’s cases, to expert witness DUI testimony. Regardless of how skilled and knowledgeable your criminal defense attorney is in DUI

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Houston Chronicle on the Houston PD Crime Lab

Forensics Guy — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:00:11 +0000

FGI-FSN —

The Houston Chronicle published a op-ed over the weekend, calling for change in their police crime lab. Even going as far as suggesting it’s time to close it down, and open up a regional crime lab that works with, but is independent of law enforcement agencies.

According to the audit, HPD workers often

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Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab Blood Alcohol Results WRONG.

Forensics Guy — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:00:31 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Numerous news sources in Colorado are reporting about a series of erroneously high blood alcohol results in DUI cases that were reported by the crime lab. The Colorado Gazette published the following:

Prosecutors have begun contacting lawyers for 82 defendants whose drunken driving charges were based in part upon incorrect blood alcohol tests

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Deputy Released from Jail

Forensics Guy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:02:54 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Read the latest episode in the on-going Deputy Stoddard soap opera. Regardless of what each side says, it seems to me that Deputy Stoddard just might be a high profile pawn in an ongoing internal political war inside Maricopa County.

Originally posted on AZCentral.com.

Adam Stoddard is out of jail.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Detention

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The Sheriff Strikes Back!

Forensics Guy — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:43:51 +0000

FGI-FSN —

I really don’t know what to make of this. Apparently the Judge who recently found Maricopa Deputy Adam Stoddard in contempt of court, and ordered him to report to jail, has been charged with three felony counts by Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

But today’s announcement that Donahoe now faces felony charges —

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Houston PD Fingerprint Unit

Forensics Guy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:17:27 +0000

FGI-FSN —

My last blog post seems to have a much “rosier” view on the current state of the Houston PD crime lab fingerprint unit, than the local newspaper did here.

A Houston Police Department official confirmed Wednesday that a criminal investigation is under way into alleged wrongdoing at HPD’s fingerprinting comparison unit, which is under

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Nebraska on the CSI Effect

Forensics Guy — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:00:08 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Glamorization has always been my biggest complaint about the popularization of forensics on TV. Not that people think evidence can be processed in a manner of minutes, with a big flashing “MATCH” sign on the computer with a picture of the suspect, their social security number, and their current location grabbed from

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Georgia Bureau of Investigations to Close Labs

Forensics Guy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:00:53 +0000

FGI-FSN —

The major concern with local law enforcement seems to be the extra time and expense involved in transporting evidence all the way back to Atlanta. Why doesn’t the GBI lab system set up a central location (one of the larger law enforcement agencies) with one GBI evidence employee there to receive evidence

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Michigan Plan to Divert Funds from State Crime Lab to Inspect Buses

Forensics Guy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:00:43 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Amazingly Michigan plans on diverting funds from the State Crime Lab to inspect buses. Didn’t they learn what happens to a poorly funded/run crime lab when the Detroit Police Department Crime Lab was shut down?

A plan to fund school bus inspections with $900,000 from the state police crime lab budget is “like

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Creative Solution For Melendez-Diaz Testimony Complaints

Forensics Guy — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:02 +0000

FGI-FSN —

If Arkansas can come up with a simple way to allow analysts to testify without seriously effecting their ability to continue their laboratory duties, why all the hand-wringing and whining in other states?

The link allows examiners at the crime lab to testify without leaving their office.

“I’m very pleased with it and I’ve encouraged

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National Rape Kit News Stories

Forensics Guy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:09 +0000

FGI-FSN —

There has been a flurry of stories about the national backlog of rape kits around the country.

A government report released Tuesday found that essential DNA evidence in rape cases is often never sent to crime labs for testing. But what our investigation also found is that even when police departments do send

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Maricopa County Sheriff Deputies Courtroom Shenanigans

Forensics Guy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:25:26 +0000

FGI-FSN —

For those of you who haven’t heard about this particular incident, recently in Arizona we had a courtroom bailiff steal client-attorney documents from a closed folder. The deputy had the gall to call another deputy over to make copies of the document, before returning it to the attorney. See video below: Knowing

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Not Using Defense Expert Gounds for Ineffective Assistance of Council

Forensics Guy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:37 +0000

FGI-FSN —

A recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has opened the door for a flood of ineffective assistance of council claims.

DEFENSE COUNSEL’S FAILURE TO SUBMIT EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE TO HIS OWN EXPERT BECAUSE THE STATE’S INVESTIGATING OFFICER TOLD HIM THE EVIDENCE WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL WAS UNREASONABLE; THE PANEL’S CONTRARY RULING REQUIRES

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Follow-up on Beaufort County DNA Lab

Forensics Guy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:30 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Follow-up article on the local sheriff’s department dead-set on opening their own DNA lab, instead of using a private lab until SLED can expand to meet demands. It’s interesting to point out that even after the lab is opened, has been staffed, equipment is delivered, it could still be years before case

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FSN: Forensic Science News » Opinion

Apple Bans DUI Checkpoint Apps

Detroit Needs A Crime Lab

BulletPath — Interesting Blog on Forensic Science

Apple iPad Forensics Usability Revisited

Another Call to Make Crime Labs Independent

California Crime Laboratory Task Force Disbands

Blogger Attacks Moderness of Equipment Used in Crime Labs

How to reduce your chances of a DUI arrest?

Apple’s iPad : Falling Short For Forensic Scientists

Retrograde Extrapolations

How To Find the Right Phoenix DUI Attorney

Houston Chronicle on the Houston PD Crime Lab

Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab Blood Alcohol Results WRONG.

Deputy Released from Jail

The Sheriff Strikes Back!

Houston PD Fingerprint Unit

More Problems for Houston PD Crime Lab

Nebraska on the CSI Effect

Georgia Bureau of Investigations to Close Labs

Michigan Plan to Divert Funds from State Crime Lab to Inspect Buses

Creative Solution For Melendez-Diaz Testimony Complaints

National Rape Kit News Stories

Maricopa County Sheriff Deputies Courtroom Shenanigans

Not Using Defense Expert Gounds for Ineffective Assistance of Council

Follow-up on Beaufort County DNA Lab