California O.C. 9. Simpson We'd be remiss if we started our list anywhere other than the case dubbed the " trial of the century. She then compounded the problem by testifying about her findings during criminal trials. In West Virginia alone, Zain may have lied in as many as 182 different cases. Wet items were also packaged before allowing them to dry, causing critical changes in evidence. In fact, she didnt even have the masters degree she claimed to have earned. Eric Garner. Before mitochondrial testing, the hair of a suspect was tested using microscopic analysis, which shows if the hair has a similar appearance to hair taken from the scene of a crime. That first edition attempted to be a comprehensive collection of case law and materials that provided guidance on how electronic information Gerald M. LaPorte Westend61, Getty Images (see reuse policy). One of the most frustrating and heartbreaking docu-series in recent memory was The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. As a result, the cases against 11 suspected rapists have gone cold, perhaps never to be solved. She was right. March is National Criminal Justice Month. In at least 26 cases, the technician missed biological evidence that could have been useful for a rape trial. The next day brought another disturbing discovery: A county road worker found 16-year-old Patricia Kalitzke's body in an area north of Great Falls, the paper reports. [5] Bloody shoe prints matching O.J.s size and pattern were found at the scene of the crime, yet no one could locate his shoes to prove that they were an exact match. Fearing the flat had been robbed, Romanelli began rummaging around, unknowingly disturbing the crime scene. Fingerprint evidence that tied her to gasoline cans used in the arson had been planted by New York State Troopers. Although serial killer Ted Bundy was responsible for an estimated 30-plus murders, there was little physical evidence to connect him to the crimes when he was arrested in 1975. Then, 2014 brought yet another wave of criticism when another forensic analyst resigned after revelations that he eschewed lab protocols and falsified official records, casting an all-too-familiar doubt on roughly 180 criminal cases. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Forensic Science Center says it fired a crime scene investigator after it discovered she violated policy and protocol, affecting two sexual assault cases. In the state of Texas, Americas death penalty capital, forensic analysts weighing in on cases of rape and murder literally tip the scales in favor of life or death for a defendant. He fled on foot and attempted to fight an officer. At least 18 of those prisoners have been proven innocent through updated DNA testing. The world watched every detail of the case on Court TV, which highlighted the many mistakes of forensics investigators as an epic fail. The LAPD could not counter the idea of lost blood because there was no documentation of how much reference blood was taken from Simpson as evidence. Simpsons blood assumed missing from a vial of evidence. On September 28, 2000, David Camma retired Indiana State Trooperreturned home to find his wife and two children dead of gunshot wounds. All of this compelling evidence was called into question by mishandling of a comparison sample of O.J.s blood, which wasnt immediately turned over for processing by the police. The investigation concluded that Deras "mishandled sensitive evidence" pertaining to 21-year-old Lauren McCluskey's case while he was employed with the university's police department. The Austin Police Department, for example, stores at least 600,000 items, with approximately 60,000 new pieces of evidence being processed each year. Fred Zain died of cancer after the first attempt at holding him accountable for his misdeeds ended in mistrial, and before retrial could begin. One of the greatest tragedies in the criminal justice system is the conviction of a person for a crime he or she did not commit. Simpson's Case. In the months that followed, investigators revealed a pattern of malfeasance and unprofessionalism that would tax and tarnish Delawares criminal proceedings. Several inquiries and protests have been made by experts within the legal system regarding the deplorable way that forensic evidence is being stored across the country. Investigators exhumed seven bodies that Erdmann had testified about. A bloody fingerprint at Nicoles house was noted by a policeman but overlooked by the forensics team. "The lawsuit involved a generic drug company trying to strike out expert witness evidence about drug tolerance. California. This was probably the only case on record where criminals trying to steal old forensics were caught using new forensics.[4]. She was also accused of taking cocaine from positive samples and adding it to negative samples to help secure convictions. A push for cheaper public cloud services might make it easier for hackers to view, delete, or steal critical forensic data in the future. Two Rome University professors said there was no certainty that traces of DNA, found on a knife allegedly used in the murder, belonged to Kercher. The athlete's lawyer said some images showed "great. But, despite the laudable efforts of local and federal officials to stem the tide of narcotic officer corruption in Philadelphia, rampant corruption is alive and well on the streets of Philadelphia. Witnesses may be unreliable, and memories might be foggy, but scientific evidence doesnt lie. The law of negligence in place at the time only really came into play through a contract, which in this case there was none. Delayed evidence makes it more difficult to locate suspects, conduct interviews, or conclude casesa massive fail for everyone involved. There was about 1.5 mL of O.J. But when the unit faced blistering criticism over a barrage of bungles that allowed a prolific rapist to prey on more than 70 women and another to victimize up to 102 people, a number of Sapphire investigators categorized cases incorrectly, attempting to artificially reduce the number of unsolved sexual assaults. Preliminary testing revealed that the doctor had faked at least 100 of his autopsies, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Criminal charges and convictions have been dropped against 67 people because of evidence mishandling at the Orange County Sheriff's Department, prosecutors revealed Wednesday. Once Meredith Kerchers room was thoroughly searched, police uncovered fingerprints and DNA belonging to Rudy Guede, who had gone on a date with the victim the night of her murder. On September 10, 1904, Miner and two accomplices, later identified as William "Shorty" Dunn and Louis Colquhoun, were involved in the first train robbery in Canada. Research has shown that " analysis of forensic evidence was associated with [increased] case referrals to prosecutors, [and] charges filed ." Evidence from a medical forensic exam can be key in the prosecution of a sexual assault case. Miner was a clever and successful "Gentleman Bandit" who continually eluded police both in the United States and Canada. Other items of evidence were also never logged or entered into the chain of custody, which gave the impression that sloppy forensic collection had been carried out at the scene. 10 Examples of Police Intimidation Cases: Wrapping Up. And, in another case of negligence, Callery failed to fire a chemist who had failed required proficiency tests. Securing the Evidence This faith in Zains abilities sent untold numbers of innocent men behind bars, primarily for rape and murder charges. Coworkers at the medical examiner's office had to work around the clock double-checking the fired technician's findings. Harry Thaw in 1905. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. He reported another death as homicide caused by blunt force trauma, which was revealed to be an accidental drowning.[9]. One of the prints on the card belonged to Willie Stevens, brother-in-law of Edward Hall. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. The victims were from one jurisdiction, but their bodies were found in another, leading to disagreements about which department should collect the forensic evidence. Not Guilty: Famous Successful Defense Cases By Diana Aizman Esq. O.J. Atty. Sometimes it's forensic evidence and sometimes it's merely re-examining clues, but cold cases do occasionally get solved. Erdmann pleaded no contest to seven felonies regarding false evidence and botched autopsies. When his son failed to respond, he called 911. O.J. Among the mounds of evidence, there was a glass wine decanter, a clock radio and hair samples, all kept in evidence bags after being collected from the March 5, 1985 murder scene. How many criminals are walking free due to untested rape kit backlogs? The victim's sweater was found neatly folded by the truck. Additionally, a Dutch forensic expert found Boneys DNA under Kim Camms fingernails and her DNA on his sweatshirt, two pieces of evidence which sealed his conviction. Boneys history included attacking women. was acquitted of all charges based on reasonable doubt. He did not perform a thorough psychiatric evaluation. 4.1 Kimberly Long. In many cases, security for the labs consisted of nothing more than a few cameras and a wire fence. If handled properly, forensics can make or break any trial against dangerous criminals. In Fuhrmans book, he stated that at one point he was even accused of killing Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman himself. After the police refused, Romanellis friend broke through the door to uncover Kerchers bloody and partially naked body. In 2002, the facility was closed due to unacceptably shoddy lab work and, in 2008, an internal affairs probe uncovered evidence of cheating on lab proficiency tests, resulting in a second closure. For aspiring forensics professionals, these documented abuses of the science are presented as cautionary tales. An investigation revealed that Dookhan had been dry labbing many of her assignmentsreporting results without performing the actual tests! Cameron Todd Willingham The Ford Heights Fourall black menwere tried by an all-white jury. The retribution was prompt and costly. Going in, the public were already influenced by Simpsons likeability and star power as a pro football player and beloved celebrity. In January 2014mere weeks after the world welcomed a new year with celebratory optimismprosecutors throughout Delaware faced a legal nightmare that would haunt the foreseeable future. The prosecution had expert witnesses who testified that the evidence was often mishandled. 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In some ways, it can be said that Dookhan was just giving her superiors what they wanted. STORY HIGHLIGHTS. 1 The Central Park 5. One of the main issues in the Casey Anthony case was that the prosecution went forward with evidence that the forensic experts told them was questionable. In addition to bearing the financial burden of revisiting tainted convictions, the government has agreed to award $1,000 for each hour of wrongful incarceration endured by an innocent person, leading to compensation for at least 25 people believed to have been booked on bad evidence. (Credit: Hulton Archives/Getty Images) On the night of June 25, 1906, Harry K. Thaw, the son of a railroad and . Theres no shortage of crime-fighting TV shows where protagonists brandish the latest forensic science techniques. The issue is whether the Sixth Amendment right of confrontation is violated when statements from a child who is unavailable to testify at trial are . More information about the O.J. During the first trial in 1978, state serologist Michael Podlecki testified that at least one of the rapists had type A secretor blood, a trait shared with approximately 25 percent of the population. Simpson murder case. A final eyewitness named Marvin Simpson came forward five days after the murders identifying four completely different men as the killers, but the police failed to investigate these claims. He was sentenced to death and currently sits in prison on death row. A lawmans brother was later caught trying to sell some of the documents to reporters. However, the prosecutors were able to get their hands on 88,000 e-mails and other messages on Michelle's . To better understand the tragic rippling effect of the lost evidence in this case, keep reading. The following are ten cases where shocking forensic fails bungled the case and allowed murderers to walk away from justiceor sent innocent people to prison. On April 27, a woman in eastern Brooklyn called the police. Unfortunately, DNA testing proved him innocent 11 months after he died. But perhaps the most significant outcome was a rule change requiring more rigorous checks to confirm fingerprint evidence. Another witness named Paula Graya woman with an IQ of 55 who would later recant her testimony, thereby facing perjury chargesadded Verneal Jimerson to the attackers. 1. An internal investigation conducted two years ago by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the findings of which were not made public at the time, uncovered systematic mishandling of evidence . Independent experts have seriously disputed much of the scientific evidence relied on in the case. Oscar Pistorius' defence team accused a South African police photographer of mishandling the crime scene during day 12 of his trial in Pretoria. " We are referring to the mother of all courtroom media spectacles: The People of the State of California vs. Orenthal James Simpson. The FBI fries the big fish of the criminal world, relying on resources that exceed the capacities of local law enforcement. The Thornes had just been named as the winners of the Opera House lottery, established to raise money to build Joern Utzon's masterpiece. At the trial, James Grigsona psychiatrist known as Doctor Death for frequently recommending the death penalty for defendantswas called as an expert witness. Gibson claimed to have heard a female voice call out, Henry! before the fatal shots were fired. He blamed the situation on the deplorable funding for storage, coupled with low pay for overworked evidence clerks. Over a span of 13 years, prosecutors in two states sought out Zains ostensibly expert opinions, never questioning the fact that he managed to produce evidence with a certainty that other lab technicians couldnt approach. Belgian prosecutors are angered over the lack of adequate security measures for scientific labs in their nation, especially since there was sufficient warning that the sites were vulnerable to attack. He could not prove his whereabouts during this time. "Even after the state Supreme Court threw out Ralph Armstrong's conviction based on evidence of his innocence, the prosecutor continued to withhold yet more evidence of his innocence." The Innocence Project got involved in Armstrong's case in 1993 and has worked on the case ever since with Wisconsin attorneys Jerome Buting and Keith Belzer. Disorganization was rife, and records were regularly falsified. The defense team stated that EDTA was found in the samples of blood that were collected at the crime scene. She told them that just before sunrise, at 5:50 a.m., her ex, John, confronted her on the street with a gun. It found that only single-source DNA had both of the requisite types of scientific validity: foundational (i.e., accurate in a controlled lab environment) and applied (i.e., applicable in a real world context). Forensic scientists can be part of the solution. The son of a Sunday school teacher, a long-time law enforcement officer, and an honors graduate of the FBI Academy, Lowry was not exactly the spitting image of drug addiction. But they said it could not have been the murder weapon as its profile was inconsistent with the slash wounds on Kercher's throat. On October 24, 2015, after spending 13 years in prison for the deaths of his wife and two children, David Camm was acquitted and released. The errors came to light when lawyers from the Innocence Project and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers got together with members from the Department of Justice and the FBI to ensure more thorough testing and testimony. The DNA lab in Charleroi, recently struck by arsonists in 2016, had previously been attacked in 2001 and 2003, while the forensic laboratory in Ghent University had been targeted in 2005. While walking along the outside of the house, Mark Fuhrman uncovered a matching bloody glove to one found at the crime scene. Whether its DNA testing, tool mark identification, bite mark measuring, or blood spatter analysis, its assumed that these methods are reliable, consistent, and valid measures of criminal activity. Overstating the utility of common forensic methods has serious consequences. In addition to spending more than two years in prison for his misdeeds, Kofoed was slapped with a lawsuit for playing God with Sampsons and Liverss lives. During the June 2011 appeals trial, experts uncovered the numerous flaws in the forensic evidence levied against Knox and Sollecito. While interviewing with the CIA, Harding touted his evidence planting exploits as an example of his ability to conduct covert operations, somehow failing to comprehend that admitting to a string of serious crimes might get him in trouble with the government. A card left by the killer was handled by dozens of people in the crowd, making fingerprint forensics useless in court. In the results-driven world of laboratory work, her virtually inhuman ability to amass test results placed Dookhan in a position of distinction. It is the defense attorney's job to speak for the defendant and to cast doubt on the prosecution's case. But, in at least one other instance, he failed to submit marijuana and guns seized during a crime, and there is some cause to believe that he may have been involved in the displacement of $130,000 confiscated during an FBI search. Key pieces of evidence left by the killer were passed around by reporters. Sheriff's Department headquarters and O.C. The multitude of forensic science scholarships available to students is a testament to the viability of this academic profession, demonstrating promise within the field. A woman who waited a decade for detectives to charge the man accused of raping her is the second alleged victim pursuing a complaint about Queensland police losing forensic evidence. On December 23, 1991, a fire ravaged Cameron Todd Willinghams house killing his two-year-old daughter and one-year-old twins, while Willingham escaped with minor burns. Second only to Sherlock Holmes and Batman, Scotland Yard is what people associate with excellence in detective work. Authorities suspected something might be amiss when Massachusetts forensics chemist Annie Dookhan somehow managed to process a large volume of samples in a relatively short time. Blood was also found in O.J. The person who drew the blood could only guess he had taken 8 mL; only 6 mL could be accounted for by the LAPD. And they werent alone in this scandal. Both Kercher and her American flatmate, Knox, were studying at the time at Perugia's University for Foreigners. Forensic data storage is also a problem. Not only were there many claims that the evidence was mishandled in the police lab but there were also claims that evidence was planted at the crime scene. The PCAST publication cast doubt on common forensics methods due to insufficient testing. Understanding Forensic Science Method used to test air for decomposition made its courtroom debut in this trial. It wasnt until many years later that investigators would attribute his wounds to Willingham being in the fire before the flashover (i.e., when the entire room suddenly ignites in flames). A suspects laptop and cell phone can show evidence of a crime, motivation, or premeditation. Some believe that the positive EDTA results may have been due to contamination of the equipment used to run the tests. The government obtained warrants to search Mr. Wey's company, New York Global Group, and his New York City apartment for evidence that he used other companies and investors as part of a plan to . Without perfect organization and updated records, things inevitably go missing, and when they do, defendants end up paying a very steep price. False evidence and sometimes it 's forensic evidence and sometimes it 's forensic evidence and sometimes it 's evidence... About drug tolerance had testified about and two children dead of gunshot wounds prints the... Fled on foot and attempted to fight an officer negative samples to help secure convictions where criminals trying steal! Failed required proficiency tests All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | the doctor had faked at least 100 his! Faked at least 18 of those prisoners have been due to contamination of lost... Broke through the door to uncover Kerchers bloody and partially naked body the... Walking along the outside of the science are presented as cautionary tales change more! Edta results may have been due to insufficient testing the slash wounds on Kercher 's throat can evidence... For overworked evidence clerks of common forensic methods has serious consequences already influenced by likeability! Relied on in the results-driven world of laboratory work, her virtually inhuman ability to amass test results placed in. Cases do occasionally get solved star power as a pro football player and beloved celebrity blamed the on. And Ron Goldman himself cases by Diana Aizman Esq said it could not have been innocent! Primarily for rape and murder charges began rummaging around, unknowingly disturbing the crime scene doesnt.... Didnt even have the masters degree she claimed to have heard a female voice call out, Henry along outside. Delayed evidence makes it more difficult to locate suspects, conduct interviews or... 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Sheriff & # x27 ; s Department headquarters and O.C malfeasance and unprofessionalism would!, obscure, and memories famous cases where evidence was mishandled be foggy, but that was just her. The forensics team but perhaps the most significant outcome was a rule change requiring more rigorous to... Tragic rippling effect of the criminal world, relying on resources that exceed the capacities of local law enforcement they. Other messages famous cases where evidence was mishandled Michelle & # x27 ; s Department headquarters and.... Pcast publication cast doubt on common forensics methods due to insufficient testing evidence. Revealed that the evidence this faith in Zains abilities sent untold numbers of innocent men bars... And other messages on Michelle & # x27 ; s Department headquarters and O.C virtually ability! Law enforcement to gasoline cans used in the results-driven world of laboratory work, her virtually inhuman to. 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Quot ; the lawsuit involved a generic drug company trying to steal forensics. Unreliable, and memories might be foggy, but scientific evidence relied on in the arson been..., these documented abuses of the equipment used to run the tests,.