Contents
List of Figures
ix
Introduction
1
1
The History and Development of Forensic Scientific Evidence
9
2
The Problem of Junk Science: Frye and the Daubert Trilogy
17
3
DNA: The New Gold Standard Admissibility of DNA at Trial Postconviction DNA Testing
27 27 30
4
The “Who” Question Fingerprint Evidence Handwriting Comparison
39 39 53
5
More “Who” Questions Hair Analysis Bite-Mark Analysis
67 67 73
6
The “How” Question Tool Marks and Firearms Bullet Lead Comparison Fire, Explosion, and Arson Evidence Bloodstain Pattern Evidence
81 81 86 91 98
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viii
7
Contents
The “Whether” Question: Social Science Evidence in Criminal Cases Eyewitness Identification Experts Forensic Abuse Syndromes Conclusions about Social Science Evidence
107 108 110 113
8
Jurors and Forensic Science Evidence The “CSI” Myth The “Tech” Effect “Negative” Evidence Voir Dire, Argument, and Jury Instructions
115 115 116 118 119
9
Conclusions: Where Do We Go from Here? The Last Twenty Years: An Era of Doubt Daubert’s Change in the Legal Standard for Admissibility The Emergence of DNA as a New Model for Forensic Scientific Evidence The Impact of DNA Exonerations The Impact of the National Academy of Sciences Report The Impact of New Technology Awareness by Jurors The Current State of Forensic Science Evidence in Criminal Cases Thoughts about the Future of Criminal Forensic Science
125 125 127 127 129 130 134 135 138
Appendix: Recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences: Strengthening Forensic Science in the Unites States
141
Notes
149
Index
177
About the Author
183
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Figures
I.1. 1.1. 2.1. 3.1. 3.2. 4.1. 4.2. 4.3. 4.4. 4.5. 4.6. 4.7. 4.8. 5.1. 5.2. 5.3. 5.4. 5.5. 6.1. 6.2. 6.3. 6.4. 6.5. 6.6.
Artist’s depiction of the alleged murder of Russell Colvin Kirk Bloodsworth Justice Harry A. Blackmun Gary Leiterman Blood spot analyzed as Ruelas’s DNA Photograph of a dusted fingerprint Photograph of a fingerprint revealed by fuming Micro-x-ray fluorescent fingerprint images Digital fingerprinting Jennings newspaper account Kidnapping poster Prosecution handwriting exhibit Bruno Hauptmann Microscopic hair comparison Kenneth Adams Paula Gray Bite-mark comparison Carol Ege Comparison of pliers and severed chain link fence tool marks Bullet striae comparison Cartridge case comparison Vanzetti and Sacco Sacco’s and Vanzetti’s weapons The Sacco and Vanzetti jury with three sheriffs
4 15 24 34 35 41 41 43 44 52 59 61 62 68 71 72 74 78 82 83 84 87 89 90
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x
6.7. 6.8. 6.9. 6.10. 6.11.
Figures
Cartridge case from Sacco and Vanzetti murder scene V pattern observed in fire analysis Bloodstain reaction to luminol Bloodstain pattern field measurements Sixteen-year-old James Davolt
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90 93 99 101 104
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