Marco Raymond Butterfield, 22, was arrested following the robbery and shooting of a 27-year-old man outside a barber shop in northwest Oklahoma City. 4 Wrongful Conviction Cases in California. Still, Robert Lowery, vice president of the Missing Children's Division at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, points to other high-profile missing children's cases as support for the belief that cases like . grimm's geometric stacker famous cases where evidence was mishandled Unfortunately, DNA testing proved him innocent 11 months after he died. Additionally, some jurors have since admitted that the verdict was retribution for the acquittal of white police officers in the beating of Rodney King in 1992. Shirley Kinges plight was one of at least 36 instances of evidence planting perpetrated by members of the New York State Troopers C Division and at least one member of Troop F. Between 1984 and 1992, members of New York State Troopers C Division, and at least one member of Troop F, systematically fabricated fingerprints and other evidence. Mrs. Hall was the obvious mastermind. At least 140 people have been released from death row during that time because of forensic evidence which was tainted, flawed, or outright false. However, the prosecutors were able to get their hands on 88,000 e-mails and other messages on Michelle's . But they may explain why Zain spent the duration of his forensics career habitually faking lab results and lying to courtrooms in order to secure criminal convictions. Podlecki also testified that both Williams and Adams tested positive for being type A secretors, an assertion later refuted by an independent forensic witness. [7] More than 400 terrorist investigations may have been compromised by evidence lost in the fires. While the abundance of evidence certainly provided more than enough to do so, the doubts cast by the sloppy police work were enough of a window. Meanwhile, trees, grass, and rocks from the area were snatched up by onlookers to be sold as souvenirs of the tragic slaying. Erdmann later admitted that he had thrown the head away. Detective Fuhrman was discredited by the prosecution when he was alleged to be a racist and accused of planting evidence. Erdmann also testified about the forensic examination of a 14-year-olds brain, but when the body was exhumed, police discovered that the skull had never been cut open. The integrity of the criminal justice system is intimately intertwined with the belief that we can trust the analysis of crime scene evidence. In 2004, the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial. Photos were taken of critical evidence without scales in them to aid in measurement taking. Janssen-Ortho Inc. vs. Novopharm Limited. 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. 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. For nine years, Annie Dookhan worked as a crime lab chemist in Massachusetts, performing drug tests for criminal cases. 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. While walking along the outside of the house, Mark Fuhrman uncovered a matching bloody glove to one found at the crime scene. 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). A graduate of West Virginia State College, Zain had only managed to pass some of his chemistry courses by the skin of his teeth, while utterly failing in others. (Credit: Hulton Archives/Getty Images) On the night of June 25, 1906, Harry K. Thaw, the son of a railroad and . The expert's affidavit merely referenced to a homepage link and did not specify nor attach any webpage to be presented as exhibits. Joseph Sledge, for example, served 36 years for a crime in North Carolina, but he could have been out decades earlier if police hadnt misplaced evidence from his trial. Fred Zain died of cancer after the first attempt at holding him accountable for his misdeeds ended in mistrial, and before retrial could begin. Subsequent exploration of Kofoeds other cases revealed a pattern of dubious handiwork. Dubbed "The Phantom of Heilbronn," the anonymous woman's genetic material was detected at the scene of more than forty crimes over a two-decade period. Forensic evidence is crucial to crime scene investigators. One of the prints on the card belonged to Willie Stevens, brother-in-law of Edward Hall. Between 2010 and 2012, there were over 50 thefts from the state Medical Examiners Office. But the evidence of his wrongdoing, along with the actions of other Brooklyn officers, was enough to throw out 400 different drug cases and secure the release of over two dozen people wrongfully arrested on drug charges. 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. 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. It began during the trial of a suspected Oxycontin dealer, when the court discovered that confiscated drugs had vanished and been replaced with heart medication. With a team of criminals and incompetents running the drug lab, unconscionable misconduct ensued. He surrendered his medical license in August 1992, but the huge testimony fail he created is still causing ripples in the system. His wife had been out Christmas shopping and despite her insistence that Willingham had never been abusive and had no motive for the crimes, he was arrested. A two-day appeal hearing which was due to take place next month has now been put. But, when an agent like Matthew Lowry is caught getting high on heroin that he stole from an FBI crime lab, that credence suffers greatly. In 2009, the convictions were reversed by the Indiana Supreme Court. This was probably the only case on record where criminals trying to steal old forensics were caught using new forensics.[4]. Its a grim burden that grows ever heavier in light of the fact that, for decades, the Houston Police Department crime lab has relied on faulty DNA analyses and bogus courtroom testimony that, according to a lab director, have tainted at least 5,000 to 10,000 cases. A state forensic analyst claimed that Camms t-shirt had been stained with the wifes blood in patterns suggesting he was the perpetrator. 1. However, additional evidence later led authorities to the actual perpetrators of the double homicide and exposed Kofoeds deception. The discovery is the latest twist in one of New York's most famous cold cases, and it also revealed a major flaw in the way that evidence can be mishandled by one of the most prestigious police departments in the world. In the wake of the legal, ethical, and financial chaos wrought by Annie Dookhan, her punishment may strike many as light. She was also accused of taking cocaine from positive samples and adding it to negative samples to help secure convictions. Simpsons Bronco truck, his driveway, the foyer of his home, and his bedroom. The reputation of Brooklyns officers has been doubly besmirched, as not only had they likely been arresting innocent people for years as a matter of convenience, but they covered up that behavior by casting themselves as heroic wrongdoers when, in reality, they were simply doing wrong. 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. had been cut on his left hand, and Nicoles fresh blood was found on his socks. No one knows how many innocent men and women have been put to death because of faulty forensics or inaccurate experts. West Virginia alone paid $6.5 million in compensation to innocent people convicted by Zains deception, and the state of Texas shelled out $850,000. In short, forensic science depends not only on types of evidence with foundational and applied validity, but also on the dedicated efforts of ethics-minded groups such as the Innocence Project. Securing the Evidence Dookhan was indicted on 27 charges, including obstruction of justice for tampering with evidence, perjury, and even falsifying her university degree. 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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. [1] Some believe that the positive EDTA results may have been due to contamination of the equipment used to run the tests. Frank Lee Smith, for example, died of cancer on death row, after serving 14 years for a rape and murder he did not commit. 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. And, from what is known, its clear that Zains dissembling reach was tremendous. As one would expect, the costs of cleaning up after the trail of investigative mayhem have been astronomical. Separate pieces of evidence were bagged together instead of separately, causing cross-contamination. 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. Forensic data storage is also a problem. 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. Andersons account of the illegal evidence planting operation wasnt enough to convict every officer he claimed had framed innocent people to pad their arrest numbers. The mess-ups: A review of 88 of his cases found that 65 had incomplete documentation, 32 had administrative errors, and in eight cases, evidence had been misplaced. Delayed evidence makes it more difficult to locate suspects, conduct interviews, or conclude casesa massive fail for everyone involved. OJ Simpson was found not guilty on October 3, 1995. She had been shot in the head . Blood was also found in O.J. The prosecution had expert witnesses who testified that the evidence was often mishandled. 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. However, EDTA is also a chemical found naturally in human blood and chemicals such as paint. Both had been shot. 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. In addition, O.J. The abbreviation CSI has become a household term to capture the magic of Hollywoods high-tech vision of forensic work. B efore he became a true-crime celebrity, forensic scientist Henry Lee took the stand at a wildly bloody murder trial in Connecticut. In the years that followed, more than 1,400 cases were reviewed, hundreds of convictions overturned, and $5 million in compensation was awarded to victims of the police. Defense attorneys were quick to argue that lax procedures by the forensics team could have led to the degradation or cross-contamination of blood evidence. The case caught a break in 2005 when the DNA of career criminal, Charles Boney, was matched to a sweatshirt at the scene of the crime. 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. She told them that just before sunrise, at 5:50 a.m., her ex, John, confronted her on the street with a gun. She then compounded the problem by testifying about her findings during criminal trials. 8. According to the Innocence Project, out of 329 wrongful convictions overturned by new DNA testing, 74 were due to erroneous microscopic hair evidence. We. In a scandal that broke on the heels of extensive efforts to reform Philadelphias habitually corrupt police force, the officers of the 39th shocked the conscience of Philadelphia with tales of false arrests, evidence tampering, violence, and even theft. It is reported that the DNA evidence showed that the chance that some of the blood found near the bodies came from anyone but Simpson was 1 in 170 million. Blood samples found inside of Simpsons Bronco, which was discovered outside Simpsons home the next day, were equally matched to Simpson and both victims. Sheriff's Department headquarters and O.C. After various appeals and retrials, students from the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalismincluding award-winning NPR journalist Laura Sullivanpresented new evidence in 1996. After pleading guilty to perjury, obstruction of justice, and evidence tampering, she received a prison sentence of three to five years, followed by two years of probation. To add to the problem, the blood was not immediately turned over as evidence but was carried around for several hours before it was entered into the chain of custody, allowing for speculation of when and how the 1.5 mL of blood may have disappeared. This article explores five fascinating cases of fraud in forensics to underscore the importance of using scientifically valid and reliable methods in this growing career field. The experts at the appeal court were scathing yesterday in their criticism of the reliability of that evidence. 10 Examples of Police Intimidation Cases: Wrapping Up. After the police refused, Romanellis friend broke through the door to uncover Kerchers bloody and partially naked body. More information about the O.J. 1 The Central Park 5. 5 Contact a California Criminal Defense Lawyer at The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong, APLC Today. The dropped charges. 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). They uncovered Marvin Simpsons genuine eyewitness account. One of the most frustrating and heartbreaking docu-series in recent memory was The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. But, in truth, the lab had been plagued by corruption long before those thefts ever occurred. The carnage disturbed Knox, who described her roommate as neat and tidy. Knox had spent the night with her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and she attempted to get into Kerchers room, which was locked. It was Romanelli who uncovered Kerchers two cell phones in a garden nearby and she requested that the police break into Kerchers room. What remained to be a mystery for more than 30 years was finally solved via digital forensics in the early 2000s. Rather, she had been faking test results at a rate of thousands per year. The jury disregarded Gibsons testimony, acquitting Mrs. Hall and her brothers of all charges. Other mistakes included overlooking stains, botched chemical tests, and improperly processed rape kits.[3]. Atty. For Zains many victims, exoneration and compensation are the only justice possible. Independent experts have seriously disputed much of the scientific evidence relied on in the case. On March 27, 2015, both Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were exonerated for the murder of Meredith Kercher. This inability to understand key evidence made the evidence essentially useless; even some seasoned lawyers found the scientific testimonies to be incomprehensible. Shocking reports have been filed against crime labs, police departments, and sheriffs offices concerning improper, underfunded, and outrageously inadequate forensic storage facilities. Simpson murder case. The theft proved pointless, however, when police discovered that all of the information on the servers involved old cases that had already been tried in court. Not only is there a huge volume of data collected for current investigations, but there is also a huge volume of digital forensics that must be stored indefinitely, in case of later appeals. Key points: Kelly says she was told police no longer have forensic evidence from her rape kit As the defense attorney for an alleged narcotics kingpin opined, It stands to reason that the strict chain of custody claimed by the government in most cases is a sham.. Despite setbacks in the advancement of the science, there are groups committed to exonerating falsely accused people with sound forensic evidence. This was particularly difficult to achieve in this case. For Philadelphia, one of those chapters is undoubtedly devoted to its 39th district police officers. In the meantime, the criminal justice system will be left to clean up the countless messes caused by a single person with too much incentive to lie and too little oversight. I can't find the actual judge's decision. The overwhelming evidence of lab misconduct has already resulted in the dismissal of 200 drug cases and reduced sentences in 60 more. Defense attorneys became suspicious because Erdmann seemed to be able to supply prosecutors with whatever testimony they needed, without the proper testing to back up his reports. An eyewitness claimed to have seen Dennis Williams, Kenneth Adams, and Willie Rainge in the abandoned townhouses where the bodies of the victims were found. But, despite even the presence of eyewitnesses who could attest to grotesque law enforcement misconduct, charges leveled against Baird and other officers were consistently dismissed as baseless until Philadelphia investigators and federal agents finally began pursuing the matter in 1991. The new figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal the total number of people whose trials have ended or the charges against them dropped due to a failure to disclose evidence . jails are located at 550 N. Flower St. in. Coupled with confessions from the murderers and DNA evidence, Williams, Adams, Rainge, and Jimerson were finally exonerated after 17 years in prison. The exploits of the 39th district eventually made media headlines in the mid-1990s. In fact, she didnt even have the masters degree she claimed to have earned. In 16 cases, pieces of evidence were returned to the wrong rape kit, hindering 19 investigations. The defense team stated that EDTA was found in the samples of blood that were collected at the crime scene. Ted Bundy. was acquitted of all charges based on reasonable doubt. Individuals like 54-year-old Betty Patterson spent three years in prison on false charges of selling cocaine thanks to planted evidence. A lawmans brother was later caught trying to sell some of the documents to reporters. Boney ultimately claimed it was Camm who murdered the family. Justice Kennedy, with whom The Chief Justice, Jus tice White and Justice Blackmun join, dissenting. For people seeking careers that are simultaneously challenging, meaningful, and exciting, it is tough to beat becoming a crime scene technician. In the face of brazen inaction by Scotland Yards sex crimes investigators, a drastic rejiggering of the force followed. Willie owned a gun of the same caliber as the one that killed the couple, and he had complained to friends at a local pub that Edward was not giving him enough allowance from the family funds. Helmsman of the drug lab for nearly two decades, and himself suspected of professional improprieties, Callery had overseen a spate of irresponsible hiring decisions. Firefox was used to access an address with "chloroform.htm.". A bloody fingerprint at Nicoles house was noted by a policeman but overlooked by the forensics team. As in the Zhang case, network logs can be analyzed to identify mass movements or deletions of data and other suspect user activity. He listed one cause of death as pneumonia, even though a suspect later confessed that hed shot the victim in the head. October 31, 2014. "The international procedures for the inspection [of the scene of a crime] were not followed," Stefano Conti and Carla Vecciotti, both professors, said in their report. Drunk Police Officer. Famous cases Bill Miner. The Ford Heights Fourall black menwere tried by an all-white jury. It is the defense attorney's job to speak for the defendant and to cast doubt on the prosecution's case. Failure to secure the scene was just the beginning of this forensic fiasco. Of the house, Mark Fuhrman uncovered a matching bloody glove to one found at the appeal Court were yesterday... 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