PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I have always always been fascinated by the Gene Morrison story: How could a phony forensic expert manage to get himself called to give expert testimony in over 700 criminal and civil cases for more than a quarter century? Did nobody check him out? What about the procedures, if any, that are supposed to weed out fake witnesses? Did they break down? (As they did in many of the Charles Smith cases). Where they ever attempted? So many questions. So few answers. But without doubt 'Doctor' Gene Morrison certainly belongs on reporter Tim Holmes list of "Other notable serial impostors and fakes."
Harold Levy. Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
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STORY: "How to become a great impostor," by Tim Holmes, published by phys.org.news in August 2019. Phys.org is a science, research and technology news aggregator."
For an answer to the 'big question' read the entire story -it's a great read - at the following link:
https://phys.org/news/2019-08-great-impostor.html
Oh yes. Author Tim Holmes list referencing Gene Morrison as one of two and other notable serial impostors and fakes: "Other notable serial impostors and fakes have relied on techniques similar to Demara's. Frank Abagnale also recognized the reliance people in large organisations placed on paperwork and looking the part. This insight allowed him at 16 to pass as a 25-year-old airline pilot for Pan Am Airways as portrayed in the film, Catch Me If You Can. More recently, Gene Morrison was jailed after it was discovered that he had spent 26 years running a fake forensic science business in the UK. After buying a Ph.D. online, Morrison set up Criminal and Forensic Investigations Bureau (CFIB) and gave expert evidence in over 700 criminal and civil cases from 1977 to 2005. Just like Demara used others to do his work, Morrison subcontracted other forensic experts and then presented the findings in court as his own."
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BACKGROUND ON GENE MORRISON: (Wikipedia): "Gene Anthony “Rocky” Morrison (born 1958) was a fraudulent forensic detective who operated over three decades in the Hyde area of Greater Manchester, England, under the title Dr. Gene Morrison. Memorable for his trademark sheepskin jacket, during the course of his deception he managed to trick not only members of the public, but also many judges, lawyers and the police themselves, into believing he was a genuine expert in forensic science.[1Trial and imprisonment:Appearing in court, he insisted on being referred to as Doctor throughout the entire trial, and the jury were supposedly reduced to laughter on many occasions throughout the proceedings.[2] Morrison pleaded guilty to two charges and was found guilty on 20 of the remaining 23; he was sentenced to five years imprisonment,[1] with police suggesting that Morrison may attempt to revive his forensic services upon release.[2] A video documentary was made about Morrison. Entitled Crime Scene Conman, it was first shown on BBC1 on 25 March 2008.[3]Sex offences": "On 15 October 2009, Morrison was convicted of thirteen child sex offences (three counts of rape, six counts of indecent assault, four counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child) and one count of perverting the course of justice committed between the 1970s and 2007,[4] with 19 other charges taken into consideration.m He was sentenced to an indeterminate term of imprisonment with a minimum of seven-and-a-half years, to be served cumulatively with the five-year sentence. Morrison will be eligible for parole in 2017."
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Read also The Telegraph's review (James Walton, 26 March 2008) of the 1016 BBC Production "Crime Scene Conman" at the link below:
PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "In fact, Morrison wasn’t a PhD, a BSc, or an expert of any kind. He was a bloke called Rocky from Hyde near Manchester, who’d learned the little he knew from watching TV cop shows and is now serving five years for fraud. When the police finally rumbled him, they found that his “forensic laboratory” consisted of a magnifying glass. Even under questioning, Morrison maintained that he genuinely had the rich repertoire of scientific skills mentioned on his website. He claimed, for example, that he’d learned hand-writing analysis from two Czech “professors” – who, on closer inspection, turned out to be his former au pair, and her chimney-sweep husband. (The subject of graphology had never come up between them.")
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"The equally fascinating Crime Scene Conman (BBC1) told the story of Dr Gene Morrison BSc, PhD. For more than 20 years Morrison ran a successful private-detective and criminal-forensics business, appearing as an expert witness in dozens of trials. Except that, as the programme’s title suggests, not everything was as it seemed. In fact, Morrison wasn’t a PhD, a BSc, or an expert of any kind. He was a bloke called Rocky from Hyde near Manchester, who’d learned the little he knew from watching TV cop shows and is now serving five years for fraud. When the police finally rumbled him, they found that his “forensic laboratory” consisted of a magnifying glass. Even under questioning, Morrison maintained that he genuinely had the rich repertoire of scientific skills mentioned on his website. He claimed, for example, that he’d learned hand-writing analysis from two Czech “professors” – who, on closer inspection, turned out to be his former au pair, and her chimney-sweep husband. (The subject of graphology had never come up between them.) Last night’s documentary occasionally talked of the “damage” Morrison had done – although without really specifying what it was. On the whole, however, it wisely avoided po-facedness and settled instead for just the right tone of deadpan comedy."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3672088/Last-night-on-television-Big-Bigger-Biggest-Five-Crime-Scene-Conman-BBC1.html
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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/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;
