By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
Recent admissions by the FBI that its experts have overstated the scientific veracity of forensic hair have led to the first conviction to be overturned.
The Washington Post reports that a Massachusetts man was granted a new trial after spending 30 years in prison for rape.
In April, the FBI and Justice Department confirmed that linking DNA hair testing to crimes “exceeded the limits of science” after the evidence was used to incriminate hundreds of suspects.
A White House-appointed commission, along with the FBI and Justice Department, are working on strengthening forensic science standards.
Errors were uncovered in more than 1,300 cases involving hair samples.
