- Maurice Chammah of the Marshall Project wrote a story about HB 3724 codifiying the Court of Criminal Appeals' ruling in Ex Parte Robbins titled "Old Convictions, New Science: Texas tackles debunked forensics."
- Grits had understood that Texas 2013 junk science writ was the only one of its type in the country, but Chammah's piece informed me that California passed similar legislation earlier this year.
- Here's an amicus brief from the Innocence Project of Texas urging the Court of Criminal Appeals to uphold their prior ruling in Ex Parte Robbins holding that bad scientists, not just outmoded science, could provide grounds for habeas corpus relief.
- The Christian Science Monitor this week published an important story titled "When expert testimony isn't: Tainted evidence wreaks havoc in courts, lives."
- Legislation nearing the finish line at the Texas Lege would require all forensic analysts in Texas to obtain licensure in their field by 2019.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Forensic error roundup
A few more tidbits on forensic science reform, Texas' junk science writ, new legislation clarifying its meaning, and the upcoming oral arguments next week rehearing Ex Parte Robbins.
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3 comments:
At least 8 years BEFORE Willingham was executed in 2004 there was scientific evidence that the conclusions of arson were suspect as testified to 1992.
In 2011, the state fire marshal's office, which employed State Fire Marshal (arson investigator) Manuel Vasquez, STILL stood behind his arson conclusions from 1992.
And, in the face of a mountain of scientific evidence, the Texas Forensic Science Commission STILL cound not find that state Deputy Fire Marshal Manuel Vasquez and Corsicana Assistant Fire Chief Douglas Fogg were negligent or guilty of misconduct in their arson work.
So, the Junk Science Writ is to cover those situation in which the forensic scientist changes their conclusions. But does the Junk Science Writ cover situations in which the "bad scientist" never admits stupidity? And does the Junk Science Writ also cover Science Commissioners investigating junk science who also never admit stupidity?
Writ or no Writ, there will always be people who believe that the earth is the center of the universe. And they will work for the Prosecution.
Let us not forget Perry's part in this egregious miscarriage of justice. May he roost or rot in Palau with his buddy Bradley. Oops!!!
If its evidence, its tainted.
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