According to Federal Judge Alex Kozinski, it is time for the courts to reject what he refers to as “voodoo science”.
In an opinion piece written by Judge Kozinski and appearing in the Wall Street Journal, the President’s Council Of Advisors On Science And Technology has examined the accuracy of such forensic tests as DNA, fingerprint, bite mark, firearm, footwear and hair analysis. The study concluded that “virtually all of these methods are flawed, some irredeemably so.” The study found that only simple forms of DNA analysis are scientifically reliable and the rest of it is “rank guesswork.” Judge Kozinski discussed bite mark evidence and in his opinion he noted “The prospects of developing bite mark analysis into a scientifically valid method are low.” In plain terms bite mark analysis is about as reliable as astrology.
After discussing other forensic tests such as char patterns in fire cases Judge Kozinski stated “Among the more than 2.2 inmates in U.S. prisons and jails, countless may have been convicted using unreliable or fabricated forensic science. The U.S. has an abiding and unfulfilled moral obligation to free citizens who were imprisoned by such questionable means.”
If you or someone you know has been unlawfully imprisoned in the state of Pennsylvania whether it is from Centre County or State College there may be help if the science used to convict that person was unreliable.
