POST: "Pa. (Pennsylvania) Innocence Project launches forensic science academy for lawyers," published on September 13, 2013. (My thanks to the Wrongful Convictions Blog for drawing attention to this post. H.L.)
GIST: "In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences produced an exhaustive study of the state of forensic science in the United States. The report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, was a rude awakening for the entire criminal justice system as to the state of forensic science in our country, and particularly took lawyers to task for not understanding forensic science at all. In response, the Pa. Innocence Project sought to provide that education for Pennsylvania prosecutors and defense lawyers. Collaborating with Arcadia University and the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, we developed a 16-hour course to cover topics including death investigations, DNA, fingerprints, chemistry, and arson and explosives. Leading practitioners and scientists are conducting the courses, and lawyers are getting hands-on experience with the techniques to better understand their applications and limitations.
In the early evening of September 12, 30 prosecutors and public defenders gathered in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania for the first lecture. Dr. Barry Logan, the Executive Director of the Center, covered the first topic on Death Investigations and Forensic Toxicology. The course will go through October 31, meeting each Thursday evening to cover a different area of forensic science........."
The entire post can be found at:
GIST: "In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences produced an exhaustive study of the state of forensic science in the United States. The report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, was a rude awakening for the entire criminal justice system as to the state of forensic science in our country, and particularly took lawyers to task for not understanding forensic science at all. In response, the Pa. Innocence Project sought to provide that education for Pennsylvania prosecutors and defense lawyers. Collaborating with Arcadia University and the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, we developed a 16-hour course to cover topics including death investigations, DNA, fingerprints, chemistry, and arson and explosives. Leading practitioners and scientists are conducting the courses, and lawyers are getting hands-on experience with the techniques to better understand their applications and limitations.
In the early evening of September 12, 30 prosecutors and public defenders gathered in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania for the first lecture. Dr. Barry Logan, the Executive Director of the Center, covered the first topic on Death Investigations and Forensic Toxicology. The course will go through October 31, meeting each Thursday evening to cover a different area of forensic science........."
The entire post can be found at:
https://innocenceprojectpa.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/pa-innocence-project-launches-forensic-science-academy-for-lawyers/
See the post by Justin J. McShane on his "The truth about forensic science blog" in which he talks about the "ethical" duty of lawyers to have a competence knowledge of the particular field of forensic science raised in any particular case. The post is headed: " "Ethical competence versus technical competence: Why trying your best doesn't cut it." A taste: "Don’t simply be technically competent. Have ethical competence. This blog has featured acts of complete ethical failure in various crime laboratories. It is time that this blog also begin to feature another crucial part of the justice system: the criminal defense trial attorney. Too many times we read about exonerations or overturned convictions and find ourselves asking: “How can that possibly happen?” Many times it is simple answer that presents itself. We are able to assign a “bogey man” and point to the primary cause such as poor quality assurance, lack of a validated method or purposefully hidden Brady or Giglio materials in the crime laboratory. But in doing so we totally ignore a major contributing factor: undertrained and undereducated criminal defense trial attorneys. As I frequently preach to my colleagues just because you are technically competent to represent someone does not mean that you are ethically competent to represent someone. In other words, just because you could, doesn’t mean you should." It's a provocative, challenging read! HL.
http://www.thetruthaboutforensicscience.com/ethical-competence/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.
Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com
