If forensic science is misapplied to your case, it could be a chance for you to fight for your freedoms. When evidence is collected, it has to be treated appropriately. If it’s lost or tampered with, there is a possibility to have the evidence restricted and prevented from reaching the court. If that happens, the prosecution may not have enough of a case to charge you.
According to a report, the misapplication of forensic science actually is the second most common factor contributing to wrongful convictions. It is found in around 46 percent of DNA exoneration cases.
Why does that matter to you?
It’s always wise to question DNA evidence and to make sure it is prepared accurately for the case. The misapplication of forensic science could mean that some methods are used that don’t produce consistent results or that the process used hasn’t been previously validated. In both of those cases, it’s within your rights, and a good idea, to question the validity of the DNA used in your case.
It’s also sometimes seen where a forensic analysis is overemphasized during a case. The testimony might overstate the importance of a particular piece of evidence or overstate the accuracy of said evidence. By oversimplifying the evidence and making it seem that there is no other explanation for it than for the accused to have created it, the jury and judge are immediately led to believe that the person in question is guilty or at least somehow involved in whatever the case is about, whether it’s a murder or another kind of case. Your attorney knows how important it is to question evidence, and he or she will take steps to have it carefully evaluated.
Source: Innocence Project, “Misapplication of Forensic Science,” accessed Nov. 02, 2017