An interesting article by David Dobbs in the July issue of Popular Mechanics magazine examines the doubts that have arisen about traditional forensic science as a result of the much superior reliability of DNA analysis.
Dobbs reports that a study by Arizona State University law professor Michael Saks of 86 convictions that had been overturned by DNA analysis revealed that traditional forensic science had played a role in securing 54 of them; only eyewitness testimony was involved in a higher number of wrongful convictions.
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I passed this along to one of the defence witnesses for the wrongfully convicted Guy Paul Morin. His response:
"Very useful. Thanks. I love the sentence:
"'many still believe that, when performed conscientiously and rigorously, traditional forensic methods are reliable.'
"In the middle of that sentence lurks a weasel the size of an elephant."
New DNA testing led to a directed acquital of Morin by the appeals court and an inquiry found "misrepresentation of forensic evidence by the Ontario Centre of Forensic Sciences." - Wikipedia
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