Susceptibility of Adolescents to Influence
p. 18 – 23 incorporate research about the high susceptibility of adolescents to persuasion, especially by police. Amici argues that this makes adolescents more likely than adults to give false information to authority figures. Includes research on how adolescents respond to authority under stress.
Brief – Developments in Arson Science
P. 21-25 of the brief details the developments in scientific understanding of fire, including the 2004 National Fire Protection Association’s Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations (NFPA 921), studies conducted by ATF and the National Institute of Justice, and other experts.
Motion for Reliability Hearing – Jailhouse Informant
Overview of social science suggesting that juries do not accurately assess bias/motivation to lie in cooperating witnesses.
Brief – Unreliability of Fire Origin Evidence
p. 22-33 explain the changing landscape of arson investigations and wide-scale rejection of the “negative corpus” theory that some fire investigations rely upon.
Amicus Brief – Forensic Analyst Bias – Structural, Contextual, Confirmation
Filed by the Center for Integrity in Forensic Science, this brief explains the research demonstrating that cognitive bias in forensic analysts contributes to unreliable conclusions.
Motion to Bar Testimony – Shaken Baby Syndrome
Focusing on retinal hemorrhages, this motion cites research showing no proven correlation between shaking and retinal hemorrhage, as well as studies documenting other (non-shaking) causes of retinal hemorrhage.
Motion to Preclude Expert – Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome
Overview of flaws in proposed testimony explaining how children respond in aftermath of sexual abuse
Mistaken eyewitness identification expert report
This expert report collects and describes cutting edge social science describing the problems with eyewitness identifications including: the effects of poor lighting and distance (p. 5); the effects of a quick exposure and the problem of witnesses’ overestimating the length of exposure (p. 5-6); problems with cross-racial identifications (p. 6); problem if witness previously viewed […]
Amicus Brief – Research on False Confessions
Details risk factors for false confessions, benefits of a defense expert on false confessions, and why expert testimony on false confessions satisfies Daubert
Amicus Brief – Hair Microscopy Comparison Evidence is Unreliable
Filed by the Innocence Project, this brief details research demonstrating that hair microscopy evidence does not meet the standards of reliable scientific evidence, as well as research showing how persuasive forensic testimony is to juries.
