This assignment requires one initial written post and two comments of your classmates' initial posts.

Scenario

You are an attorney in a criminal case going to trial. You need a forensic DNA expert other than the state's DNA forensic scientist who conducted the analysis in the case.

Here are excerpts from the CVs of 2 potential forensic DNA experts. Assume you hire one and opposing counsel will most likely hire the other. In your response, Make sure you answer all parts of each question, clearly delineating your response to each section(e.g. bold the question/part of each question, followed by your response).

Question 1) Which expert would you want to hire and why?

Question 2)

Part a) For the other expert you do not intend to hire, what additional information would you try to find out about their credentials and how would you go about doing that?

Part b) What questions would you ask during the expert qualification period to try to have them discredited and prevent them from testifying?

Part c) If they were allowed to testify, what would you ask during cross-examination to discredit their testimony?

Expert 1: Pennsylvania State Medical Examiner

• Ph.D. in Forensic Science from Harvard 2000
• Past Employment
  • Lab Intern Pennsylvania State Crime Lab
  • Assistant Lab Director, Pennsylvania State Crime Lab
• Faculty at Penn State University Forensic Science Department
• Diplomate of the American College of Forensic Examiners in Forensic Medicine (2000)
• Board Certified in Forensic Medicine

Expert 2: Independent Consultant

• Master's Degree in Forensic Science (MFS) from the George Washington University with a concentration in forensic biology (2002)
• Past employment
  • Forensic DNA analyst Cellmark Diagnostics (1992-1997)
  • National Institute of Justice, USDOJ (1997-2002)
  • Self-Employed forensic consultant (2002 - present)
• Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (2005 - present)
• Advisory Board Member, Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law (2007 - 2014)
• Member of the Accreditation Sub Committee of the National Commission on Forensic Science (2014 - present)