tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post1377095407459727266..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Hair and fiber review needn't center on death-penalty debateGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-76646609332442779352013-08-15T15:44:28.531-05:002013-08-15T15:44:28.531-05:00BiG, I can see why children stick their fingers in...BiG, I can see why children stick their fingers in moving metal fan blades but that doesn't make it wise to do so.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-53384034549266192692013-08-15T10:29:52.230-05:002013-08-15T10:29:52.230-05:00I can see why advocates use death penalty cases wh...I can see why advocates use death penalty cases when discussing convictions based on junk science since it is the most serious consequence of false conviction. In order to use it on DWI which the public sees as a conviction with a less serious consequence you need to show a lot more false convictions or a big celebrity to get attention.Blue_in_Guadalupehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06781055706724830970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-52313851100311686152013-08-15T08:08:27.032-05:002013-08-15T08:08:27.032-05:00@10:13, the Forensic Science Commission's juri...@10:13, the Forensic Science Commission's jurisdiction was expanded this last legislative session and now would cover HGN, breath test machines, etc.. If you've got specific instances in mind, maybe a complaint to them would get them to investigate. I'd suggest contacting them to make sure you get the form of the complaint right so it meets their criteria, but that stuff is under their jurisdiction after September 1st when it wasn't before.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-63910182345409844422013-08-14T22:13:45.726-05:002013-08-14T22:13:45.726-05:00While we are debunking junk science how about thos...While we are debunking junk science how about those unscientifically validated field sobriety tests that have been shown not to be good predictors of people being over .08. Yet they are still allowed in court in the most frequently tried type of case, DWI. I have had more than one judge admit that HGN IS "CRAP". It is crap based NHTSA'S own raw misinterpreted data. What needs to happen for courts to take notice of this nonsense like they have in shaken baby, arson, hair fiber and to a certain extent fingerprint evidence cases. Breath test machines are likely no more reliable than polygraphs, but we keep convicting people with them. Its not ok just because most of these demonized offenders don't go to jail for years absent an accident with injury or death. If we are falsely convicting 1 out of 10 tried cases and no telling how many pleas due to bad testing is that ok? Any pause? Not everyone can afford 8 to 10k for a top notch DWI defense to show the jury thru experts that the "science" and technology is often unreliable. States that have said HGN is not admissable have done so not because they were fooled, but because they have inquired more closely about the nature of this evidence instead of placing faulty tools in place to get more convictions. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-66102543844206295592013-08-14T22:05:02.551-05:002013-08-14T22:05:02.551-05:00Prosecutors love hair comparison. Especially when ...Prosecutors love hair comparison. Especially when that's the only evidence they can concoct against an innocent defendant. I believe it would be completely impossible to revisit the thousands of cases since the 1970's where hair was the deciding factor. And lest we forget that it's not uncommon for police to plant blood, etc. at the scene to help their case when necessary: http://www.netnebraska.org/article/news/former-csi-kofoed-dogged-legal-challenges-jailtime-ends Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com