Forensic Science Commission will investigate convictions based on bite marks

[Disir]

The board charged with ensuring that reliable scientific evidence is used in Texas courtrooms agreed on Friday to investigate cases in which bite mark analysis was used to secure a conviction.

“We’re talking about the whole field, the validity of the field of bite marks,” said Dr. Vincent DiMaio, the chief presiding officer at the Texas Forensic Science Commission, and the former Dallas County medical examiner. “The problem justifies an investigation.”

The board voted to review bite mark cases to determine whether faulty evidence resulted in wrongful convictions after a presentation from Chris Fabricant, director of strategic litigation at the New York-based Innocence Project.

Last year, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences conducted a study of forensic odontologists and concluded that the analysis could not even accurately determine which marks were bite marks. In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences published a report that concluded there was insufficient scientific basis to conclusively match bite marks. Additionally, the Jo Handelsman, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, has said that bite mark evidence should be eradicated from courtrooms.
Forensic Science Commission will investigate convictions based on bite marks Dallas Morning News

Texas is really leading the way here.

 

[koshergrl]

Wow you realize your stance makes you appear...concerned?

 

[Disir]

About what?

 

[koshergrl]

Oh I don't know.

 

[Disir]

Texas has led the way in getting rid of pseudo science the last few years.

 

[foggedinn]

I applaud the effort, but, people want their pound of flesh. Clever people will find another way to convict the usual suspects.

 

[koshergrl]

I applaud the effort, but, people want their pound of flesh. Clever people will find another way to convict the usual suspects.

Also known as... "the criminals".

 

[Disir]

I applaud the effort, but, people want their pound of flesh. Clever people will find another way to convict the usual suspects.

You either have evidence or you don't. People may want their pound of flesh but they want to extract it from the right individual. It makes no sense to let the wrong person go free and nail whomever is immediately available.