Eyewitness Identification Experts Are Making a Difference in Illinois

eye looking through peephole

American courts have been slow to recognize the importance of expert opinions when a criminal charge hinges on eyewitness testimony. Until recently, judges tended to rule that juries understand the possibility of mistaken eyewitness identifications and that experts had nothing meaningful to add to jurors’ knowledge. Mistaken eyewitness identifications are the leading cause of wrongful […]

Blood Spatter Expert Witness Opines That Death Was Not a Suicide

Blood-Splatter Expert Testimony Challenged in Murder Trial

An expert witness at the trial of a man charged with the murder of his girlfriend has opined that the death was not a suicide. Deborah Hovestadt’s Death Deborah Hovestadt died on July 7, 2014, in the home that she shared with her 30-year-old boyfriend, Darryl Taylor. Hovestadt was found in their home with a […]

Toxicology Expert Discredited and Cases Are in Jeopardy

test tubes with blood on a tray

Toxicology expert, Dr. Fessessework Guale, has been accused of lying on the stand. The cases in which Dr. Guale has testified are now in jeopardy. Gaule’s Degree Dr. Guale claimed to have a Masters of Science degree in Toxicology from Oklahoma State University. However, according to a notice sent by the Harris County District Attorney’s office, […]

Prosecutors Argue to Exclude Police Shooting Expert

Police shooting practice at a shooting range

Michael Edington is a 27-year-old police officer with the Norfolk Police Department who has been charged with the manslaughter of David Latham, who he shot while on duty. As part of Edington’s defense, his attorney, Jeff Swartz, plans to introduce an expert witness who will testify on how Norfolk officers are trained to decide whether […]

DNA Expert in Casey Anthony Case Found Unqualified to Testify

DNA

Richard Eikelenboom, a DNA expert described by media sources as “prominent,” was barred from testifying in a recent trial. Although Eikelenboom has testified in several high-profile cases, the court decided to exclude Eikelenboom’s expert opinions in a sexual assault trial in Denver. The prosecutor and Eikelenboom have differing perspectives as to the reason for that […]

Court Allows Securities Expert to Testify Over Daubert Objections

Court Allows Securities Expert to Testify Over Daubert Objections

To meet the Daubert standard of admissible expert testimony, the expert must be qualified and the expert’s opinion must be based on reliable data. When should the judge, acting as a gatekeeper to shield the jury from speculative or unfounded testimony, exclude the expert’s opinion? Conversely, when should the judge trust the jury to decide […]

Questions Surrounding a Houston Toxicology Expert Witness Raise Doubt on DWI Convictions

Don't drink and drive concept. Close up of man hand drinking beer and holding car keys. Responsibly and safety driving

Several Houston area DWI convictions have come under review after a toxicology expert witness had her credentials questioned following a recent trial. The expert has defended herself and her work, however, defense attorneys have asked the Houston DA to conduct a thorough review of past convictions and to remove her from testifying as an expert […]

Court Excludes Expert Opinion that Lead Paint Caused Neurological Deficits

Blood sample for heavy metals test

The New Hampshire Supreme Court recently affirmed a decision to exclude from evidence an expert’s opinion that exposure to lead paint caused neurological deficits in Somali children. The decision illustrates the difficulty that experts face when they apply a recognized methodology to a unique fact situation. Facts of the Case A group of children in […]

Experts Testify in “Bizarre” Art Authentication Trial

Experts Testify in “Bizarre” Art Authentication Trial

Expert witnesses played a key role in an art authentication trial that one art world publication branded as ridiculous and bizarre. The controversy involved a desert landscape that was allegedly painted by Peter Doig. The artist, known for his figurative paintings and his “revolutionary” approach to landscapes, denied that he painted the desert landscape. Robert […]