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AFTE 2008 Summaries

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Jerryp:
Presentation:  Brief Update on the US Army Crime Lab

Bio:

Dana is currently a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner at the US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory in Forest Park, GA.  After receiving her MS in Forensic Science from Virginia Commonwealth University, she began her career 5 years ago at the Vermont Forensic Laboratory, where she received her initial training from Evan Hodge and the National Firearms Examiner Academy Class of 2003.  She also worked as a Firearm Examiner at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for approximately 3 years.

Jerryp:
Daubert Presentation
Moderator: Brandon Giroux



Panel Members: Dr. Stephen Bunch, Douglas Murphy, John Webb, Erich Smith
Objectives: The Daubert presentation will begin with a Daubert PowerPoint Presentation. The audience will then have the opportunity to ask questions to a panel of FBI and ATF examiners regarding the admissibility of firearms and toolmarks evidence.
As the moderator, Brandon Giroux will allocate appropriate time to the specific areas of presentation which will include the following:
Daubert Question and Answer Session

Introduction of panel members and Daubert presentation by Brandon Giroux, question and answer session, NAS Report by Greg Klees, discussion on the prongs of Daubert by various panel members as shown below, followed by a final question and answer session.

• Peer Review and Publication (John Webb and Doug Murphy)

• General Acceptance (John Webb and Erich Smith)

• Testability (Stephen Bunch and Greg Klees)
• Error Rate (Doug Murphy and Stephen Bunch)
• Maintenance of Standards and Controls (Erich Smith and Greg Klees)
Brandon Giroux, FBI Laboratory, 2501 Investigation Parkway, Quantico, VA 22135, 703.632.7234, Fax 703.632.7227, bgirou1@yahoo.com

Jerryp:
The White Light Interferometer, Will it help us meet the Daubert challenge in Firearm/ Tool Marks
Gerard Petillo Connecticut DPS Forensic Lab Firearm/Tool Mark section
The motivation for this research began while reading a 19 page affidavit in support of a defendant’s motion to exclude ballistic evidence. The expert retained by the defense who is not a practitioner in this field, who has a background in material science made many assertions to refute the scientific reliability of Tool Mark Identification. Most if not all of these assertions have been previously addressed in publications both in the AFTE journal as well as the JFS. 
A specific quote in this affidavit that is the subject of this research suggests the use of the white light interferometer as an instrument to be used in the analysis of fired ammunition components to determine origin. This statement has the potential to present problems for the uninformed examiner.
My objective for this research is to present information regarding the white light interferometer and then use the instrument to examine fired cartridge cases to see from a practical perspective what information can be gleaned from the use of this instrument as well as the value of the data to the field of Firearm / Tool Mark Identification.
Results:  For many reasons, this instrument is currently not suitable for use in casework.
Biography: Gerard Petillo is one of four examiners working in the State Forensic lab’s Firearm and Tool Mark section. He is a member of the New York Microscopical Society and a regular member of AFTE. He has served on the 2006 Training Seminar Host committee. He is currently on the Historical committee and a moderator on the AFTE Forum.

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