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"Reformers have for years recommended that all forensic labs be independent from law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies' and this is a key reform promoted by The Justice Project (2008). But fixing these problems is only half the answer' because half of the wrongful convictions attributed to misleading forensic evidence involved deliberate forensic fraud' evidence tampering' and/or perjury.
From "The Elephant in the Crime Lab," by co-authored by Sheila Berry and Larry Ytuarte; Forensic Examiner; Spring, 2009; http://www.t-mlaw.com/blog/
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STORY: "Ex-death row inmate in Ohio wants new trial amid new doubts," by The Associated Press, published by The Bristol Herald Courier on January 2, 2016.
GIST: "A one-time death row inmate in Ohio whose sentence was
commuted to life in prison has asked a judge for a new trial based on
concerns that have surfaced about a former state crime lab worker. Attorneys
for Kevin Keith are questioning whether the state forensic expert
provided unreliable testimony against him at his 1994 trial. Michele
Yezzo, who worked for Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, has
denied manipulating evidence during her career, but the state public
defender and others are reviewing cases involving the longtime forensic
scientist whose credibility has been questioned. The
review came about after a judge tossed out a conviction in another case
and determined prosecutors withheld evidence. Specifically, there were
concerns about Yezzo's work on the case. Yezzo
worked for the state crime lab for three decades before resigning in
2009 after an internal investigation found issues with her work. Former
colleagues have accused her of bias, and her personnel files show
concerns about her credibility and past behavior problems, such as
outbursts and threats against co-workers, The Columbus Dispatch
reported. Attorney General Mike
DeWine said his office has reviewed some of Yezzo's evidence-analysis
work and found it credible. But he also said that if Yezzo's background
had been brought up in court while she worked for the bureau, cases
might have been affected. This
new information is what prompted Keith's attorneys to seek a new trial.
They said it suggests Yezzo was "mentally unstable" and prone to making
conclusions to please her supervisors. Yezzo
testified against Keith, connecting him to the killings of three people
in Bucyrus through snow prints of a license plate and tire treads. But Keith's
attorneys say a retired FBI agent expert in forensics reviewed the
evidence and cast doubts about Yezzo's conclusions, Cleveland.com reported recently. Lee
Fisher, who was Ohio attorney general at the time of Keith's trial,
looked at the new evidence and said he would not have allowed Yezzo to
testify, according to the motion for a new trial."
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/ex-death-row-inmate-in-ohio-wants-new-trial-amid/article_26ef47ea-2913-59f7-b0f6-eba0f885960e.html
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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/
