At The McShane Firm, we take pride in our unwavering commitment to defending our clients vigorously. In the realm of criminal defense, details matter, and one such crucial detail is the “chain of custody.” In this blog post, we will delve into what chain of custody is, its significance, and how recent mishaps in Pennsylvania…
read more »Category: Forensic Science
Why The McShane Firm? We are The Science Attorneys
There are a lot of law firms out there who are willing to take on your criminal or DUI case, but there is only one McShane Firm. So how is the McShane Firm different and better than the rest? In this series, we will take a look at some factors you should consider when choosing…
read more »
Why The McShane Firm? Advanced Specialized Training
There are a lot of law firms out there who are willing to take on your criminal or DUI case, but there is only one McShane Firm. So how is the McShane Firm different and better than the rest? In this series, we will take a look at some factors you should consider when choosing…
read more »
Top 6 Causes for Wrongful Convictions (Part 3) — Bad Forensics
When forensic evidence is presented in the courtroom, there is a general assumption that “if it is scientific, then it must be true.” The reality is much different. Witnesses in white lab coats are much easier to believe than the defendant who has already been stigmatized simply by being charged. Most jurors are inclined to…
read more »
Is Scientific Evidence Really Accurate?
When a forensic science analyst’s testimony is brought to the courtroom, along with its test tubes and white lab coats, many times a jury accepts it as “scientific fact.” Juries are left with the impression that the evidence is more scientific than it actually is. However, many times faulty forensic data leads to wrongful…
read more »
Attorney Justin McShane Published in Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence
Congratulations to Attorneys Justin McShane and Katherine McShane, of The McShane Firm, who co-authored a chapter in the book Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence. This book is widely respected in legal circles as it is authored by top attorneys and scientists. The chapter they authored is entitled “Pennsylvania DUID Prosecution: The Measurand Problem” . DUI Drugs (DUID) is a…
read more »
5 Ways the Criminal Justice System is Compromised by Bad Forensics
Fraudulent practices and bad science are nothing new at crime labs unfortunately. There have been many recent cases which highlight this. One of the most notorious has been the case of Annie Dookhan. According to the New York Times: Ms. Dookhan pleaded guilty in 2013 to 27 counts, including perjury, obstruction of justice and tampering…
read more » New Ruling Clears the Way for Thousands to Challenge based on False Forensics
The name Annie Dookhan has become synonymous with false fabricated forensics. She is a personification of everything that is wrong with crime labs across the nation. According to the New York Times: Ms. Dookhan pleaded guilty in 2013 to 27 counts, including perjury, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence, and was sentenced to three…
read more »
FBI “experts” help convict a man using hair analysis, Except the hair was from a dog
This is abhorrent- a travesty of justice. For decades, FBI hair analysis “experts” gave FALSE testimony in court to help their prosecution buddies: The Justice Department and FBI have formally acknowledged that nearly every examiner in an elite FBI forensic unit gave flawed testimony in almost all trials in which they offered evidence against criminal…
read more »
April’s Fools: On April 1, 2014 Pennsylvania becomes a notice and demand state
On February 19, 2014, effective April 1, 2014, upon the joint recommendation of the Criminal Procedural Rules Committee and the Committee on Rules of Evidence, the Supreme Court adopted new Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 574 to provide procedures for the admissibility of forensic laboratory reports in lieu of expert testimony. Click for Order Click…
read more »