THE CRIME LAB MINUTE

May 12, 2008

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Announcement

ASCLD President Stephanie Reilander has asked the communications committee to post the following two files for the convenience of our members.

President's News
Presentation at Forensic Policy Summit in Washington, D.C - December 2007

REMINDER: ASCLD is looking for interested and enthusiastic volunteers to run for five Board of Director positions this fall. This three-year commitment is open to all voting ASCLD members in good standing. Board member duties typically include chairing and/or serving on ASCLD committees, symposium planning and tackling issues that promote the mission of the organization. Board members attend three Board meetings each year, funded by ASCLD. The meetings are usually scheduled over a weekend in order to minimize the amount of time that members are away from their laboratories. If you are interested in directing the future of this progressive organization, or if you would like to recommend a colleague, send an e-mail to Susan Shankles, Nominating Chair at susan.shankles@tucsonaz.gov.

Nominations for the 2008 Briggs White Award are currently being accepted. Please click here for more information.

Forensic Science in the News

Vermont
DNA database constitutional, high court rules
Law-enforcement authorities have the right to collect, analyze and store DNA samples from people convicted of nonviolent felonies, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled Friday.

CBS News
Weighing Fingerprints As Forensic Evidence
After a judge disallows print analysis to be admitted in trial, experts debate how foolproof fingerprints can be.

Oklahoma
FBI retiree joins Forensic Science Institute
The University of Central Oklahoma's Forensic Science Institute has imported more talent from the FBI to train current and future forensic investigators.

Nevada
Appeals court tosses rape conviction, criticizes scientist's DNA testimony
A federal appeals court Monday threw out the conviction of a 36-year-old Carlin man found guilty of raping a 9-year-old girl in 1994, saying DNA testimony from a Washoe County Crime Laboratory scientist was "misleading" and "unreliable."

California
State DNA lab expands to keep up with new samples
The state Department of Justice announced a $10 million lab expansion to help California enlarge the third-largest criminal DNA database in the world.

Malaysia
Cooperation on wildlife crime
MIRI: Asean-Wildlife Enforcement Network (Asean-Wen) and the United States are establishing information-sharing channels in order to stop East-West wildlife crime.

England
University and police fight crime
The collaboration between the University's Forensic Research Centre and the police force's Scientific Support Unit, which has already produced ground-breaking results, will be formally launched on May 14.

Florida 
The pills? Pain relief. The arrest? That hurt.
Questions are raised about the reliability of police drug kits and how the results of a roadside test can land an innocent person in jail.

North Carolina
Satellite SBI crime lab to open in June
The Triad Crime Lab, a satellite of the State Bureau of Investigation's main lab, is expected to open sometime in June in Greensboro. The lab will serve 12 counties: Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin.

Scotland
Dundee confirmed as home for essential forensics lab
JUSTICE SECRETARY Kenny MacAskill last night confirmed that a “much-needed” crime-fighting lab is to be built in Dundee.Dundee is already home to the Scottish DNA database and has lobbied for an extension to its forensics department for some time.

Virginia
Lack of money stalls DNA testing project
Lack of funding has stalled a massive forensic project aimed at clearing people wrongfully convicted of serious crimes.