Author AThornton

True Allele DNA, which focuses on DNA mixtures, was used to exonerate an Indiana man who was released from prison yesterday. This is the first time True Allele testing has resulted in an exoneration. The exoneree, Darryl Pinkins, had been convicted… Continue Reading →

Kamal Shah was removed from his position as a lab technician last December after he was observed faking results in a drug case. In February, the state Attorney General notified county prosecutors to alert defense attorneys in drug cases in… Continue Reading →

Keith Allan Harward was released Friday, April 8th after being exonerated by DNA evidence. The Virginia Supreme Court declared Harward to be innocent the day prior. Harward was convicted in 1982, largely due to testimony by forensic odontologists who testified “to… Continue Reading →

The case of Keith Allan Harward (discussed earlier this week in this post) has presented a concern about the misuse of serology evidence. The Richmond-Times Dispatch reports: “a former forensic serologist identified a blood type in semen left at the crime… Continue Reading →

Keith Allen Harward, who has served 33 years of a life sentence, was convicted largely based on an expert’s testimony that bite marks on the victim matched his teeth. Now, the Innocence Project has filed a brief on his behalf… Continue Reading →

Professor Brandon Garrett of UVA Law recently wrote a book review of three new books that explore the extent to which flawed forensics have affected the criminal justice system. These books range from discussing the crisis in Harris County, Texas… Continue Reading →

A New Jersey crime lab technician, Kamalkant Shah, was suspended this last week after discovering that he had written results of a test, before the test was completed. PINAC reports, “Shah was found to be taking inordinate amount of time… Continue Reading →

The D.C. crime lab was suspended from completing DNA analyses last April amid concerns of integrity and independence of the lab. A national accreditation group found the analysts at the lab were, “not competent and were using inadequate procedures.” The lab… Continue Reading →

‘High-sensitivity’ DNA analysis, which amplifies extremely faint, sometimes second hand samples and can be made up of as little as 16 human cells, is being called into question in New York courts. The FBI refuses to use high-sensitivity DNA analysis,… Continue Reading →

Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates announced that the Justice Department will go further than reviewing forensic testimony in only hair analysis cases. The expanded class of cases will cover pattern-based evidence such as tracing the impressions that guns leave on… Continue Reading →