STORY: "Members of Innocence Project use DNA testing to help free ex-cop," published by RYOT News on March 11, 2103.
GIST: "The students’ prospect of success was tied to the evidence that helped to convict Prade in the first place in 1998: bite marks by the killer that left an impression on Margo Prade’s lab coat.
The marks set off “alarms” among student lawyers, who are taught that bite mark evidence falls under the category of junk science. “Often times,” said Godsey, “it ends up that the person’s innocent.”
Students invested eight years battling the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office to get DNA testing of the bite on the lab coat. The delay infuriated Godsey, especially because the Innocence Project offered to pay for the testing years ago. “We’ve had plenty of cases where it comes back guilty, and that’s great. That means the system got it right,” he said.".........In 2008, the Innocence Project called in the Jones Day law firm in Cleveland, which provided free assistance. Jones Day attorneys Lisa Gates and Dave Alden each estimate they spent 400 hours on the Prade case in 2012 alone, said Wood, the Innocence Project attorney. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that the lab coat should be retested using newer methods. In ordering Prade’s release in January, Summit County Judge Judy Hunter wrote that “the defendant has been conclusively excluded as the contributor of the male DNA on the bite mark section of the lab coat.” Summit County is appealing the decision to the 9th District Court of Appeals."
GIST: "The students’ prospect of success was tied to the evidence that helped to convict Prade in the first place in 1998: bite marks by the killer that left an impression on Margo Prade’s lab coat.
The marks set off “alarms” among student lawyers, who are taught that bite mark evidence falls under the category of junk science. “Often times,” said Godsey, “it ends up that the person’s innocent.”
Students invested eight years battling the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office to get DNA testing of the bite on the lab coat. The delay infuriated Godsey, especially because the Innocence Project offered to pay for the testing years ago. “We’ve had plenty of cases where it comes back guilty, and that’s great. That means the system got it right,” he said.".........In 2008, the Innocence Project called in the Jones Day law firm in Cleveland, which provided free assistance. Jones Day attorneys Lisa Gates and Dave Alden each estimate they spent 400 hours on the Prade case in 2012 alone, said Wood, the Innocence Project attorney. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that the lab coat should be retested using newer methods. In ordering Prade’s release in January, Summit County Judge Judy Hunter wrote that “the defendant has been conclusively excluded as the contributor of the male DNA on the bite mark section of the lab coat.” Summit County is appealing the decision to the 9th District Court of Appeals."
http://www.ryot.org/members-of-innocence-project-use-dna-testing-to-help-free-ex-cop/96213
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.
Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
