News & Observer: Politics, new study prompt call for crime lab review

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article103292067.html

Politics, new study prompt call for crime lab review

BY CRAIG JARVIS

cjarvis@newsobserver.com

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RALEIGH 

A Republican legislator on Wednesday called on the General Assembly and the N.C. Department of Justice to conduct a sweeping review of the State Crime Lab, in light of a new federal report that found pervasive weaknesses in forensic science across the country.

Rep. Marilyn Avila’s remarks were delivered through a couple of layers of politics: She spoke at a GOP news conference attacking Democratic .....

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article103292067.html#storylin

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/politics-columns-blogs/under-the-dome/article103292067.html

ABA Journal: 'Voodoo science' is sending people to prison, Kozinski says

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/voodoo_science_is_sending_people_to_prison_federal_appeals_judge_says

'Voodoo science' is sending people to prison, Kozinski says

POSTED SEP 21, 2016 01:12 PM CDT

BY DEBRA CASSENS WEISS

Many people languish in prison based on “voodoo science” that is presented as unassailable by forensic examiners, according to a federal appeals judge.

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Judge Alex Kozinski calls for amending federal law to allow federal courts to grant relief to prisoners who can show they were convicted based on false or overstated expert testimony. Currently 

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/voodoo_science_is_sending_people_to_prison_federal_appeals_judge_says

DigitalTrends: New report suggests that forensic evidence is flawed and far from bulletproof

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/think-forensic-evidence-bulletproof-study-205821158.html

New report suggests that forensic evidence is flawed and far from bulletproof

Lulu ChangSeptember 21, 2016

It may make for good television, but according to new research, that may be all forensics should be used for. As per a new report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), “much of the most common analysis used in criminal trials doesn’t meet scientific standards,” the Wall Street Journal reports. The data,  .... 

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/think-forensic-evidence-bulletproof-study-205821158.html

WSJ: White House Advisory Council Report Is Critical of Forensics Used in Criminal Trials

http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-advisory-council-releases-report-critical-of-forensics-used-in-criminal-trials-1474394743

White House Advisory Council Report Is Critical of Forensics Used in Criminal Trials

http://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-advisory-council-releases-report-critical-of-forensics-used-in-criminal-trials-1474394743

WRAL: Fact Check: Was Cooper 'stripped of his responsibility' over crime lab?

http://www.wral.com/fact-check-was-cooper-stripped-of-his-responsibility-over-crime-lab-/15991501/

Fact Check: Was Cooper 'stripped of his responsibility' over crime lab?

By Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — There may be no bigger liability on Attorney General Roy Cooper's political ledger than his office's management of the North Carolina State Crime Lab, so it's no surprise the Republican Governors Association seeks to exploit that history in a campaign ad that started running in August. 

The RGA is a national group that pipes money into state gubernatorial campaigns. .... 

http://www.wral.com/fact-check-was-cooper-stripped-of-his-responsibility-over-crime-lab-/15991501/

WRAL: Fact Check: Is it true Cooper 'fixed the problems' at the crime lab?

http://www.wral.com/fact-check-is-it-true-cooper-fixed-the-problems-at-the-crime-lab-/15991330/

Fact Check: Is it true Cooper 'fixed the problems' at the crime lab?

By Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — Attorney General Roy Cooper wasted little time last month in responding to an attack on his record managing the North Carolina State Crime Lab, which was plagued by scandal during the first half of his tenure and still experiences long processing times for certain cases. 

Cooper, a Democrat, is running  ..... 

http://www.wral.com/fact-check-is-it-true-cooper-fixed-the-problems-at-the-crime-lab-/15991330/

Daily Advance: High court should let Tillett case play out

http://www.dailyadvance.com/Our-Views/2016/09/04/High-court-should-let-Tillett-case-play-out.html

High court should let Tillett case play out

Sunday, September 4, 2016

The N.C. Supreme Court heard arguments last week on whether it should intervene and put a stop to an N.C. State Bar disciplinary hearing against Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillett of the 1st Judicial District. This was a big deal because the outcome could affect the chief...

http://www.dailyadvance.com/Our-Views/2016/09/04/High-court-should-let-Tillett-case-play-out.html