Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Expert bias

Many people willingly admit there is expert bias on the part of experts hired by Defense Counsel.  They have no problem calling these experts "hired guns" that will tell the Judge and Jury whatever the Defense Counsel wants them to say.  I'm sure some experts do in fact sell themselves for profit and gain.

Most people, however, are extremely reluctant to concede that State expert witnesses are just as capable of such immoral and unethical behavior.  Once again, however, we have solid evidence that some State experts will not only conceal exonerating evidence in their reports, but provide perjured testimony.

This most recent example comes to light as Michael Peterson is granted a new trial because SBI Duane Deaver "misled the jury about the validity of his experiments" and "gave perjured testimony."

You can read about Deaver's gross misconduct in these two articles, one of which provides information about his gross misconduct in another case.

SBI agents' testimony is critical of Deaver


Novelist Michael Peterson will get new trial in wife's death

This is the proper attitude for all experts to have, be they consulted by the State or by the Defense:
Neither Hughes nor Holley thought Deaver's comments were appropriate; forensic scientists are tasked with being unbiased, using science to find facts irrespective of whether the truth helps prosecution or defense. "I didn't care if he (Taylor) was innocent or not," Holley said. "If he was guilty, that's fine. If he's innocent, that's fine."