DNA fingerprinting, invented by Sir Alec Jeffreys is considered a "gold standard" crime fighting technology. It's based on the fact that everyone's genome is unique (apart from identical twins) and has proved to be pretty persuasive in the courtroom. However, like all technology it is not infallible, but could its credibility be undermined by a team of scientists in Israel who have demonstrated that it is possible to manipulate a crime scene by faking DNA evidence?
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/46174.aspx
To get his hands on his inheritance, Jason Warren has to convince a jury that his step father, who had been convicted of killing his mother, did not commit the crime he was convicted of. Hal Warren was convicted solely on DNA found at the crime scene. But he always claimed he did not murder his wife. Read more in Beyond Reasonable Doubt, the novel by Dennis Gelbaum.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
DNA evidence can be fabricated: 'You can engineer a crime scene'
Scientists in Israel have demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases. Check out the story and the video at: http://www.bookofjoe.com/2010/01/dna-evidence-can-be-fabricated-you-can-engineer-a-crime-scene.html
Salting Crime Scenes with Fake DNA Becomes Possible
When Dan Frumkin and his team recently announced they had finally discovered a way to clearly distinguish between natural and artificial (fake) DNA samples, not many people understood why their discovery generated so much interest in the international media. Read more at: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&pagename=Zone-English-HealthScience%2FHSELayout&cid=1256910021588
Hal Warren was convicted of killing his wife, solely on DNA found at the crime scene, But he claimed he was innocent - right up to the time he hung himself in his prison cell.
If he did not commit the crime, who did? And where did the DNA evidence come from?
Hal Warren was convicted of killing his wife, solely on DNA found at the crime scene, But he claimed he was innocent - right up to the time he hung himself in his prison cell.
If he did not commit the crime, who did? And where did the DNA evidence come from?
DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated, Scientists Show
Scientists in Israel have demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, undermining the credibility of what has been considered the gold standard of proof in criminal cases. Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/science/18dna.html
Did planted and fabricated DNA evidence help to convict Hal Warren of killing his wife? Read more in Beyond Reasonable Doubt, the novel by Dennis Gelbaum.
Did planted and fabricated DNA evidence help to convict Hal Warren of killing his wife? Read more in Beyond Reasonable Doubt, the novel by Dennis Gelbaum.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
'Beyond Reasonable Doubt', the new novel by Dennis Gelbaum
Dennis Gelbaum, an international award winning director, producer and inventor (The Buddy Light Illuminated Safety Leash) has written 'Beyond Reasonable Doubt' - a character driven, mystery-thriller with more twists and turns than a double helix. 'Beyond Reasonable Doubt' is now available at amazon.com -
To get his hands on his family fortune, Jason Warren has to prove DNA evidence convicting his stepfather of his mother's murder was wrong. With the help of research scientist and DNA expert, Dr. Jennifer Neal and a team of doctors and graduate students from the USCOM North American Research Center at UC Berkeley, he sets out to challenge the International scientific community and the American judicial system.
Hal Warren was convicted of killing his wife, Ruth, solely on DNA extracted from hair samples and bodily fluids found at the crime scene. The prosecution convinced the jury that the DNA Profile matched and identified Hal Warren as the killer. There were no fingerprints found at the crime scene. There were no eyewitnesses to the crime. In fact, Hal Warren had an airtight alibi. He was someplace else when the crime was committed. But he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. This illustrates just how strong DNA evidence can be. But what if the DNA results were wrong? What if the DNA samples actually belonged to someone else? What if the DNA samples were placed at the scene of the crime by someone trying to frame Hal Warren of the crime? What if Hal Warren did not commit the crime he was convicted of?
Jason asks us to think about this - without the presence of collaborative evidence, how can we trust DNA - especially if he can prove DNA is not only not as accurate as we have been led to believe, but that DNA in fact, might just be the fabrication of scientists and is based more on theory than fact? DNA Profiling has become big business. Think about all those we have found guilty solely on DNA evidence - think about all those we have set free solely on DNA evidence? Think about it.
But what is Jason Warren really up to? What has he done? What is he about to do? What's his motive in all this? Is he as innocent as he wants us to believe or is he manipulating everyone and everything around him? Is he that smart, that clever, that ruthless? Will Senator Thayer and USCOM be able to control the damage as Jason jeopardizes his run for the Presidency of the United States? Is this the story of a really bad person who wins it all at the end?
Jason hired me to tell his side of the story. But I had one condition to accepting the assignment, I wanted to tell the entire story, the true story and I wanted complete access to all of the players. Jason promised me there would be no restrictions on where I could go, whom I could speak to and what I could write. Jason would arrange for all the introductions. I brought in two experts - a retired FBI agent and a psychiatrist - to help me through the process. They both warned me about Jason. We often disagreed about what the truth was. I could not tell this story without them.
"...I walk in on Stuart, apparently unexpected. It's been some time since we last spoke. As I enter his office, I pick up an envelope off the floor. It is from the Lawyer's Club of San Francisco. I place it on Stuart's desk. Boxes were everywhere. I knew Stuart was moving to his new office in the Civic Center Courthouse on McAllister Street. He was headed to Department 622 that had been vacant prior to his appointment. Stuart motioned to me to sit down in one of the two chairs opposite him. I picked the one closest to the door. I removed the boxes and loose papers from the chair and sat.
Stuart hands me a sealed, white envelope. I knew what was inside. It was the results of the fingerprint analysis on Jennifer Neal. I don't bother to open the envelope. I looked at Stuart. He looked at me. I looked at my watch. I knew that this was probably the last time I would ever see Stuart. Stuart's cell phone rings. I got up to leave. He asks me to wait for a few minutes while he answered the call. I knew it was time to go.
I had a plane to catch..."
Dennis Gelbaum adds - "Jason's story raises so many questions about the accuracy of DNA, the American judicial system, the international scientific community and the big business of DNA Profiling. At times, I found parts of the story difficult to write about, even more difficult to believe. I often wonder, was it always about the money? Was that it?"
Dennis Gelbaum is also the author of 'Something About Going Home', a book of poetry with illustrations by Christina Qualiana.
Dennis Gelbaum is presently the CEO of ramp it up entertainment.
http://www.beyondreasonabledoubtbook.com
http://www.thegelbaumblog.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/dennisjg3153
http://www.rampitupentertainment.com
To get his hands on his family fortune, Jason Warren has to prove DNA evidence convicting his stepfather of his mother's murder was wrong. With the help of research scientist and DNA expert, Dr. Jennifer Neal and a team of doctors and graduate students from the USCOM North American Research Center at UC Berkeley, he sets out to challenge the International scientific community and the American judicial system.
Hal Warren was convicted of killing his wife, Ruth, solely on DNA extracted from hair samples and bodily fluids found at the crime scene. The prosecution convinced the jury that the DNA Profile matched and identified Hal Warren as the killer. There were no fingerprints found at the crime scene. There were no eyewitnesses to the crime. In fact, Hal Warren had an airtight alibi. He was someplace else when the crime was committed. But he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. This illustrates just how strong DNA evidence can be. But what if the DNA results were wrong? What if the DNA samples actually belonged to someone else? What if the DNA samples were placed at the scene of the crime by someone trying to frame Hal Warren of the crime? What if Hal Warren did not commit the crime he was convicted of?
Jason asks us to think about this - without the presence of collaborative evidence, how can we trust DNA - especially if he can prove DNA is not only not as accurate as we have been led to believe, but that DNA in fact, might just be the fabrication of scientists and is based more on theory than fact? DNA Profiling has become big business. Think about all those we have found guilty solely on DNA evidence - think about all those we have set free solely on DNA evidence? Think about it.
But what is Jason Warren really up to? What has he done? What is he about to do? What's his motive in all this? Is he as innocent as he wants us to believe or is he manipulating everyone and everything around him? Is he that smart, that clever, that ruthless? Will Senator Thayer and USCOM be able to control the damage as Jason jeopardizes his run for the Presidency of the United States? Is this the story of a really bad person who wins it all at the end?
Jason hired me to tell his side of the story. But I had one condition to accepting the assignment, I wanted to tell the entire story, the true story and I wanted complete access to all of the players. Jason promised me there would be no restrictions on where I could go, whom I could speak to and what I could write. Jason would arrange for all the introductions. I brought in two experts - a retired FBI agent and a psychiatrist - to help me through the process. They both warned me about Jason. We often disagreed about what the truth was. I could not tell this story without them.
"...I walk in on Stuart, apparently unexpected. It's been some time since we last spoke. As I enter his office, I pick up an envelope off the floor. It is from the Lawyer's Club of San Francisco. I place it on Stuart's desk. Boxes were everywhere. I knew Stuart was moving to his new office in the Civic Center Courthouse on McAllister Street. He was headed to Department 622 that had been vacant prior to his appointment. Stuart motioned to me to sit down in one of the two chairs opposite him. I picked the one closest to the door. I removed the boxes and loose papers from the chair and sat.
Stuart hands me a sealed, white envelope. I knew what was inside. It was the results of the fingerprint analysis on Jennifer Neal. I don't bother to open the envelope. I looked at Stuart. He looked at me. I looked at my watch. I knew that this was probably the last time I would ever see Stuart. Stuart's cell phone rings. I got up to leave. He asks me to wait for a few minutes while he answered the call. I knew it was time to go.
I had a plane to catch..."
Dennis Gelbaum adds - "Jason's story raises so many questions about the accuracy of DNA, the American judicial system, the international scientific community and the big business of DNA Profiling. At times, I found parts of the story difficult to write about, even more difficult to believe. I often wonder, was it always about the money? Was that it?"
Dennis Gelbaum is also the author of 'Something About Going Home', a book of poetry with illustrations by Christina Qualiana.
Dennis Gelbaum is presently the CEO of ramp it up entertainment.
http://www.beyondreasonabledoubtbook.com
http://www.thegelbaumblog.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/dennisjg3153
http://www.rampitupentertainment.com
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