JUDGES, FBI, DNA, & LIES
ARE COURTROOMS AND LABORATORIES
SLOPPY ACROSS AMERICA
Volume 2 of 2
BY
JOHN W. FIDLER
Copyright 2011 John W. Fidler
Smashwords Edition
Published by JWF Publishing, Inc., BOSTON, MA
The information in this book is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author, publisher or printer. The author, publisher, and printer disclaim all liability in connection with this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from either the author or publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
2009 TXU001-656-065 Library of Congress Registration
ISBN # 978-0-615-41901-5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To date I have worked with experts and attorneys on five cases involving DNA; two federal and three in Massachusetts. In the beginning I had no idea what DNA was nor could I even pronounce the word DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID. I have two degrees; an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Bunker Hill Community College, and a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Massachusetts. I attended Southern New England School of Law for a little over a year, but left because of personal reasons. Since 1991, I have worked with attorneys on criminal matters as well as civil matters in the investigative stage and as a legal assistant.
My first exposure to DNA came when I was an investigator in 1995. I was not involved with the science of DNA in that case. My involvement was to investigate whether the victim and the suspect were telling the truth, in addition to interviewing any witnesses who might have seen or heard what had occurred between the two. I did speak with the defendant’s expert concerning his DNA analysis and how the victim had the suspect’s DNA on her. The suspect's salvia sample matched the DNA, as a mixture of DNA, found on the victim's breast. Despite my lack of knowledge of DNA, speaking with the expert was intriguing.
I became involved with DNA several years later because it concerned a very close family member, my son. The DNA in that case was the introducing into evidence both Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA testing. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing is the testing of the mitochondrion cell, which is inherited only from the maternal side of family. Nuclear DNA (nDNA) testing is the testing of the nucleus cell and is inherited from both mother and father. This particular case involved the discovery process of the FBI Laboratory documents and the Lab’s testing procedures as well as the Lab personnel handling the biological evidence. The FBI destroyed most of the DNA evidence, before the defendant could test it. The case is discussed in Chapter VIII. An appendix to Chapter VIII consists of Court and FBI papers documenting the authenticity as to destruction of evidence. It will be hard to believe Chapter VIII, but documents don’t lie!