Imagine. You go into your doctor’s office for a routine physical. As part of that routine physical, the doctor takes your blood. You come back two weeks later where the doctor delivers the single worst sentence you have ever heard in your life: “I’m sorry but you have cancer.” Then comes ever worse news from…
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When is a straight line a curve: Calibration curve
One of the unsung or rather unknown important aspects in any reported BAC result is the calibration curve. It is not a curve but must be a line. It is known as analytical linearity. it is part of the three limits: Limit of Detection (I blogged on this at Underage Drinking and DUI in Pennsylvania: LOD…
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Crimping a Headspace Vial in Gas Chromatography: How not putting the “lid on the jar” can lead to disaster in a DUI case
As mentioned in an earlier post, there are many potential sources for error when it comes to Blood Alcohol Testing for DUI. This is very important in blood-based DUI cases where the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is reported because many of the prosecutors I have faced erroneously believe that these blood test results are infallible in…
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The Problem with Drug Recognition Expert and Why it is Designed for Failure
When people think of DUI, they often think of Drunk Driving meaning drinking too much alcohol. There is, of course, another form of DUI that is referred to as DUID or Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, both legal prescription drugs and illegal drugs. As such, it now becomes very important for DUI Lawyers to…
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On the origin of Species-Why do we use Gray Tubes for Forensic Blood Analysis for BAC
A colleague of mine from Colorado asked a very good question: Why on Earth do we use Gray tube tops for forensic blood analysis to determine Blood Alcohol Content for ETOH (drinking alcohol)? The answer is evolution or really “re-purposing”. It got me to thinking… On the 24th day of November…
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Gas Chromatography and why is it is so important to Pennsylvania DUI arrests
First off what is Chromatography? Chromatography is strictly and simply speaking "separation science". It is the study of how an analyst can take a complex matrix (compound) and separate it out into its component parts. It is a relatively "new" form of analytical chemistry in that the first true use of modern chromatography is usually…
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WellSpan is to be commended, but why people who have been convicted for decades of a DUI should be upset
On Wednesday and Thursday of this past week, Rick Fulton of the Gettysburg Times, wrote reported that WellSpan hospital system in Central Pennsylvania will no longer support or offer to provide blood testing for Court use of Blood Alcohol Content testing (BAC). The BAC testing, of course, is so important in a DUI prosecution and…
read more »Do the Police ALWAYS tell the truth in DUI prosecutions?
Not every police officer lies. Not every police officer colors the truth. Not every police officer embellishes. But there are enough. If there is one that is too many. Let’s face it police officers are human. They are motivated like we all are. To not lose, to win. To do the job efficiently and some…
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Piece of Paper Reads: “You’re Guilty”. Well Not Any More.
Imagine a place where you are accused of a crime. Where you can lose your liberty. Where you can lose your job. Where you can lose everything you have worked so very hard for. Imagine that during this trial, the Government only introduced a single piece of paper that reads “You’re Guilty”. That’s it. Imagine…
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