Tuesday, October 18, 2016

NC Lawyers Weekly: Attorneys – Discipline – Suspension – Disrupting Tribunals – Dishonesty

http://nclawyersweekly.com/2016/10/18/attorneys-discipline-suspension-disrupting-tribunals-dishonesty/

Attorneys – Discipline – Suspension – Disrupting Tribunals – Dishonesty

By: Teresa Bruno, Opinions Editor October 18, 2016

North Carolina State Bar v. Sutton (Lawyers Weekly No. 011-342-16, 46 pp.) (Mark Davis, J.) Appealed from the Disciplinary Hearing Commission. N.C. App. Holding: Given defendant’s rude, disruptive and dishonest statements and actions, as well as his stated refusal to change, the Disciplinary Hearing Commission of the State Bar showed that suspension of defendant’s law license ...

http://nclawyersweekly.com/2016/10/18/attorneys-discipline-suspension-disrupting-tribunals-dishonesty/

NC Court of Appeals: NC State Bar v. Sutton (COA15-1198), Court Opinion

https://appellate.nccourts.org/opinions/?c=2&pdf=34155

Thursday, September 22, 2016

RT: Forensics used to convict 1,000s of people may not be scientifically valid – report

https://www.rt.com/usa/360305-forensics-used-convict-thousands-invalid/

Forensics used to convict 1,000s of people may not be scientifically valid – report

Published time: 22 Sep, 2016 17:54

A fingerprint led to the arrest of New York and New Jersey bomber Ahmad Rahami, but a new report from a White House scientific advisory committee says much of what bitemark, hair, firearm and toolmark analyses provide does not meet scientific standards.

The White House’s Council of Advisors o ......

https://www.rt.com/usa/360305-forensics-used-convict-thousands-invalid/

NewsTalk: White House questions forensic techniques that may have resulted in false imprisonments

http://www.newstalk.com/White-House-questions-forensic-techniques-that-may-have-resulted-in-false-imprisonments

White House questions forensic techniques that may have resulted in false imprisonments

They request an entire review of some specific tests that are still widely used in criminal cases

The White House's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology published a report this week that many forensic techniques used by police and the Justice Department may not be accurate enough to be used in court cases and any subsequent convictions based on their results.

Techniques such as "bite-mark" tests and "shoe-print" analysis were found to have widely varying results depending ......

http://www.newstalk.com/White-House-questions-forensic-techniques-that-may-have-resulted-in-false-imprisonments

UPPROX: Some Criminal Forensics Techniques May Be Completely Useless, According To The White House

https://www.yahoo.com/news/criminal-forensics-techniques-may-completely-154500027.html

Some Criminal Forensics Techniques May Be Completely Useless, According To The White House

September 22, 2016

Criminal forensics has revolutionized enforcing the law, both in finding criminals and saving the innocent. But in light of some of the more bizarre techniques, scientists have been asking questions about the accuracy of some forensic techniques, and increasingly, some look like they may have no scientific evidence behind them at all.

The White House’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology chose to follow up ona 2009 report from the Department of Justice that found worrying inconsistencies in some forensic techniques. In particular, there’s .....

https://www.yahoo.com/news/criminal-forensics-techniques-may-completely-154500027.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

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

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