FSN: Forensic Science News » DNA

San Francisco’s $140k Waste

Forensics Guy — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:29 +0000

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There is routinely resource shortages in police departments, civilian sections are routinely “put on the backburner” until things reach a crisis level and bad press requires things to get taken care of.

The resource shortage can sometimes cause different civilian bureaus to not “play well together”. Much like children who are jealous of

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Texas Rangers Investigating Austin Crime Lab

Forensics Guy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:10:54 +0000

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The lab says it’s just procedure and has nothing to do with the allegations filed by DNA Scientist Cecily Hamilton.

The Texas Rangers are now looking into any problems that could exist at the East Austin crime lab. Friday, Chief Acevedo said the elite DPS unit will help clear the air.

Texas Ranger Captain Freeman

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Still More Information on the Austin Crime Lab DNA Accusations

Forensics Guy — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:00:02 +0000

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Outside expert will review DNA

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More Information on the Austin Crime Lab DNA Accusations

Forensics Guy — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:00:25 +0000

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More information related to the current Austin Crime Lab DNA section investigation:

Austin Police Chief responds

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Problems with the Austin Crime Lab?

Forensics Guy — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:00:45 +0000

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Are the accusations by former DNA analyst Cecily Hamilton well founded, or just the parting jabs of a disgruntled ex-employee? At this point there is no way to know for sure.

Kudos to the City of Austin, for working with the defense community in finding agreeable outside experts to investigate the matter.

Authorities said

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Modern Marvels FBI Crime Lab Latent Prints and DNA Sections

Forensics Guy — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:00:59 +0000

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Modern Marvels highlights the FBI Crime Lab’s Latent Print and

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Forensic Science Meets Politics

Forensics Guy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:57:25 +0000

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Just a few weeks after the LAPD was told they couldn’t hire more DNA analysts in order to reduce their growing backlog, the city hiring committee does a 180.

LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles police have won permission to hire more DNA analysts to deal with a backlog of rape evidence that infuriated victim’s rights advocates.

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National Rape Kit News Stories

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

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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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Follow-up on Beaufort County DNA Lab

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

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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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Local police tired of waiting on DNA evidence seek their own labs

Forensics Guy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:42 +0000

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So apparently another law enforcement agency is about to open it’s own crime lab — so much for people listening to the NAS report, and it’s recommendation for getting crime labs out of the hands of law enforcement and prosecutors to reduce institutional bias.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is scheduled to open its

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FBI Analyst Fired After Making Mistake.

Forensics Guy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:24 +0000

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Wow. Remember what I’ve been saying, forensic scientists are human beings, and therefor unfortunately fallible. Apparently if you work for the FBI, you get fired for being human.

At a hearing Friday, attorneys revealed the FBI analyst mistakenly contaminated the evidence with some of her own DNA. She has since been fired.

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Further Fallout from the Houston Crime Lab Scandal

Forensics Guy — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:00:42 +0000

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The news that Houston Police Department has a DNA backlog is not surprising at all. In fact it should be expected, considering it was closed down for a significant period of time.

Seven years after the Houston Police Department crime lab scandal first broke, city officials acknowledged this week that nearly 4,000 rape

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Wisconsin Department of Corrections Outsmarted by Convict

Forensics Guy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:37 +0000

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So the Wisconsin DOC was outsmarted by an in-custody prisoner, who had other people donate DNA samples and and fingerprints.

“We have reason to believe that Walter Ellis convinced another inmate to give a DNA sample and an accompanying fingerprint of the other inmate because he did not want to give a

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Innocent Man in Jail for 25 Years? And 8 Years Too Long

Forensics Guy — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:00:56 +0000

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It’s not surprising that a rape case in 1983 did not have the option to have DNA analysis performed on biological evidence. Instead serology was performed. The problem was that the results were inconclusive.

The jury convicted Anthony Caravella, 15 at the time, of rape and murder based on the evidence presented

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Eyewitness Testimony Greatest Factor in Wrongful Convictions

Forensics Guy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:12:41 +0000

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Apparently eyewitness testimony has been a factor in over 80% of the wrongful convictions later overturned by DNA evidence. Other forensic “errors” (unvalidated techniques, improper testing, or analyst misconduct/testimony) has been a factor in roughly 50%.

Hopefully juries will eventually learn that forensic science, like any other science and human activity, is conducted

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Fake DNA — Planted Evidence!

Forensics Guy — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:47:51 +0000

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So apparently with some minimal biology training, people can “fake” DNA evidence. One would think defense attorneys around the globe would already be hopping up and down, denouncing the reliability of this relatively “new” discipline in forensics.

Quite the contrary, when asked, the Innocence Project (a group who relies on DNA evidence to

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Instant DNA analysis coming soon…

Forensics Guy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:18:27 +0000

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Amazing technology that can really help out investigators. It also goes to show that DNA analysis really is done “by machine.” Soon to be gone are the times of “DNA experts” only to be replaced by “DNA Analyzer Operators” — very similar to breath test operators in DUI investigations.

How long into the

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Trigger ID instead of fingerprinting

Forensics Guy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:16 +0000

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I know from experience latent prints on firearm triggers is a longshot. It’s better with smoother triggers, but then many triggers now days are polymer and have friction grooves cut into them. Making latent prints more difficult.

The friction grooves make DNA analysis a better choice. The problem is the extra

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Baby CODIS?

Forensics Guy — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:46:20 +0000

FGI-FSN —

Currently there are specific rules in place for what DNA profiles can and can not be placed into CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), but I didn’t know that the blood sample taken from all newborn babies are being saved in some states.

It’s only a matter of time before restrictions get loosened up, and

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Science Found Wanting in Nation’s Crime Labs

Forensics Guy — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:51:53 +0000

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The article below hints at harsh criticism of forensic science in general. Comparing other forensic disciplines to DNA analysis, and an apparent lack of “objectivity”.

Let’s be clear on one thing, ALL of forensic science entails some amount of subjectivity, even the holy grail that is DNA. I personally was involved in

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State hits crime lab on DNA cache

Forensics Guy — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:54:54 +0000

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/general_sciences/Crime_lab_improperly_kept_DNA_records_The_Boston_Globe';

Massachusetts State Police lab collect and store DNA profiles they shouldn’t be allowed to. This is an inherent problem with databases that collect personal information, when there is no oversight. The police can store information they are not supposed to. This case may or may not have been

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CSI Episode # 905 “Leave Out All The Rest”

Forensics Guy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:37:23 +0000

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/television/CSI_Episode_905_Leave_Out_All_The_Rest#';

For a more detailed plot summary, please see here.

This episode opens with a body discovered on the side of the road in a dirt field. When Grissom arrives at the scene, it’s pouring rain and the body has been covered by a first responder with a blue tarp. Catherine

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Prosecutors Move To Seize Control of Crime Lab

Forensics Guy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:32:16 +0000

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/general_sciences/Showdown_over_DNA_lab_reflects_national_debate_Los_Angeles#'; The Orange County Prosecutor’s Office move to wrest control of the crime lab away from the sheriff’s department. While outsiders sometimes point out that having a crime lab under the control of a police agency can lead to lab staff being pressured to bias their opinions, or perhaps even those

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Austin police turning to DNA to solve thefts

Forensics Guy — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:39:10 +0000

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/general_sciences/Austin_police_turning_to_DNA_to_solve_thefts#';

Kudos to the City of Austin. It has been shown that aggressively combating property crimes, results in a decrease in violent crimes. Those people committing property crimes eventually get caught mid-theft, and that can result in an assault or homicide.

Using DNA to link multiple thief crime scenes enables police

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CSI Miami Episode 703 “And How Does That Make You Kill?”

Forensics Guy — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:48:56 +0000

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digg_url = 'http://digg.com/television/CSI_Miami_Episode_703_And_How_Does_That_Make_You_Kill'; For a more detailed episode review, please read here.

This episode deals with the murder of Delko’s therapist’s daughter, and eventually the therapist herself. Somewhat disappointing, this episode was weak on a few fronts.

The first being Horatio’s opening line, “So did I.” I don’t care how you spin that one,

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