tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post8674615412480828835..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: The crime-lab conundrumGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-2433113337342087252013-07-16T19:14:09.134-05:002013-07-16T19:14:09.134-05:00The above is from the Jencks Act (federal).
Does ...The above is from the Jencks Act (federal).<br /><br />Does Texas state law have a similar condition? That is, can documents be obtained post-testimony?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35735493383024571952013-07-15T15:43:47.916-05:002013-07-15T15:43:47.916-05:0018 USC § 3500 - Demands for production of statemen...18 USC § 3500 - Demands for production of statements and reports of witnesses<br /><br />"After a witness called by the United States has testified on direct examination, the court shall, on motion of the defendant, order the United States to produce any statement (as hereinafter defined) of the witness in the possession of the United States which relates to the subject matter as to which the witness has testified. If the entire contents of any such statement relate to the subject matter of the testimony of the witness, the court shall order it to be delivered directly to the defendant for his examination and use."<br /><br />Attention Defense Attorneys! Get the protocols and the data underlying the expert witnesses testimony. Scrutinize the information.<br /><br />Expose the charlatans and the prosecutors willing to use them!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-89608673470559494562013-07-15T05:57:56.550-05:002013-07-15T05:57:56.550-05:007:15, 90% accuracy may be "quite good" f...7:15, 90% accuracy may be "quite good" for one piece of evidence, but when it's portrayed as a straight-up match it misrepresents what the science can actually say.<br /><br />I'm not arguing the evidence should not be used, just that its probity shouldn't be overstated and that the tendency to overstate forensic results has led to false convictions.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-90557234176113160842013-07-14T19:15:21.691-05:002013-07-14T19:15:21.691-05:00"Most judges and attorneys ...don't under..."Most judges and attorneys ...don't understand enough about statistics to comprehend, much less judge, error-rate issues."<br /><br />Hardly surprising. Judges are unable to communicate to juries what statistical weight is the approximate equivalent of the beyond a reasonable doubt standard. Some academic studies have found that that standard to be in the range of 70-75%, in the minds of prospective jurors. That would mean that a 25-30% error rate might be expected in guilty verdicts. In comparison, a 90% accuracy rate for a particular test seems quite good for a one piece of evidence. <br /><br />Maybe those numbers aren't good enough. But how good should they be?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-43490575472731958202013-07-14T14:04:03.929-05:002013-07-14T14:04:03.929-05:00I have over the years had the opportunity to work ...I have over the years had the opportunity to work for a local defense attorney where my background in instrumentation, and error analysis came into play.<br /><br />The thing that is just appalling when it comes to forensics and more to the point STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) is the total ignorance that the legal profession has on the whole. There are a couple of Federal Judges here in East Texas that have <b>solid</b> STEM backgrounds, but these tow judges are the exceptions. I would also note that these two are <i>Federal</i> judges and not state judges.<br /><br />I've seen enough cases tried in courts to also be totally appalled by the lack of, or the ignoring of the rules of logical inference, and logic in general that judges apply to courtroom proceedings.<br /><br />What Texas is in DIRE need of are judges that are <i>very</i> well educated, and hold the cases, and proceedings under their courts to <i>high</i> standards of conduct, and rationality.<br /><br /><br />‘The Fishing Physicist’Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com