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…
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Prosecutor: Man Wrongly Convicted in “Coldest Case Ever Solved”
It’s horrifying any time an innocent person is robbed of their life. Even worse is when the life is that of a child. In 1957, seven year old Maria Ridulph was abducted from the small town of Sycamore, Illinois and murdered. The crime sent shockwaves across the nation. Dozens of FBI agents descended on the…
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Attorney urges Illinois to review convictions based on debunked science
In the past few years, we have seen an enormous change in forensic science and technology. In many cases, techniques that were commonplace in the past have been shown to be found to be lacking by science and therefore not suitable to be used. (See The McShane Firm secures the release of a man after…
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Man Exonerated After Nearly 40 Years Sues Cleveland Police
On May 19, 1975 Harold Franks was brutally murdered during a robbery in Cleveland. Based on the hearsay testimony of a 12 year-old boy, police arrested 18-year-old Ricky Jackson, 17-year-old Ronnie Bridgeman, and Bridgeman’s 20-year-old brother Wiley. None of them had a previous criminal record. What happened after that is the most horrific, callous, and cruel trail…
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Ohio man exonerated after 27 years of false imprisonment
It’s a story we hear all too often. A murder is committed and bad investigations and sketchy witness testimony lead to the wrong person going to jail. We hear it and act like it’s just another story. But it’s not. Behind every story lies a severe human tragedy. Decades of life lost. Shattered dreams. A…
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This Video May Change the Way You View DUID Charges
A car veers off the road killing one of its passengers. The driver had been lawfully taking anti-anxiety medication. The blood result shows a trace amount of her lawful medication. She was charged with negligent homicide and plead guilty to the penalty and served five years probation. Cases like this are common, right? Well, actually…
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Innocence! Forensic Science, Chemistry and the Law features the Innocence Project and Wrongful Convictions
The American Chemical Society’s Chemistry and the Law Division and its Forensic Science Co-Chairmen, Justin McShane, Esq. of Harrisburg, PA and Josh D. Lee, Esq. of Vinita, OK, are proud to announce a full-day presentation on the work of the Innocence Project. Forensic Science often plays a tragic role in the conviction and wrongful imprisonment…
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Why Do You Support DUI?
In my years of defending DUI cases in Pennsylvania, one of the most common misconceptions I come across is people questioning why I support DUI. The fact of the matter is, I don’t support drunk driving. It is dangerous and many lives are needlessly lost because of DUI each year. Asking a DUI defense attorney…
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Bad Lawyering Leads to False Convictions
One of the main causes of false convictions is bad lawyering. Often time overworked and under-experienced lawyers take on cases they can’t handle leading to an unprepared, weak defense. They are pushed into trial unprepared. This problem is especially pronounced in DUI cases where there is a huge reliance on scientific evidence. Many lawyers advertise…
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Hiding Evidence from the Court and Facing No Consequences
Unfortunately, some prosecutors hold a “convict at any cost” mentality which causes them to aggressively push for a conviction even when the evidence doesn’t support their case. This causes innocent people to be charged and convicted of crimes they did not commit. This problem is magnified by the fact that there is lack of oversight…
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