ED
Ectodermal dysplasia.
EFPWG
European Fingerprint Working Group.
ELMA
Enhance Latent Matching Algorithm for the NEC AFIS system.
ENFSI
European Network of Forensic Science Institutes.
ESSO
An AFIS term meaning Enhanced Sending Search to Other, referring to searching another
AFIS system from your system.
Eccrine Gland
Any of the numerous small sweat glands distributed over the body's
surface that produce a clear aqueous secretion devoid of cytoplasmic
constituents and important in regulating body temperature
The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=eccrine%20gland 02-27-03
Sweat glands that open on all surfaces of the skin.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press
Eccrine Sweat
The secretion of the eccrine gland. Composed of 99% water, amino acids,
sodium chloride and trace amounts of other organic and inorganic elements.
Ectoderm
The outermost of the three primary germ layers of an embryo, from which
the epidermis, nervous tissue, and, in vertebrates, sense organs develop.
The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ectoderm
Ectodermal Dysplasia (ED)
Ectodermal dysplasia is a large group of inherited disorders characterised by a
primary defect in hair, teeth, nails or sweat gland function, in addition to another
abnormality in a tissue of ectodermal origin, e.g. ears, eyes, lips, mucous
membranes of the mouth or nose, central nervous system.
The ectoderm is the outermost layer of cells in embryonic development and
contributes to the formation of many parts of the body including all those
described above. Ectodermal dysplasia occurs when the ectoderm of certain
areas fails to develop normally. All ectodermal dysplasias are present from birth
and are non-progressive.
http://www.dermnetnz.org/hair-nails-sweat/ectodermal-dysplasia.html 01-28-2007
Ectrodactyly
Congenital absence of all or part of a digit(s).
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf
Edgeoscopy
Edgeoscopy was established by Sri Salil Kumar Chatterjee of India in 1962.
1. Study of the morphological characteristics of friction ridges.
2. Contour or shape of the edges of friction ridges.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Elasticity
The ability of skin to recover from stretching, compression, or distortion.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf
Elimination Prints
Exemplars of friction ridge skin detail of persons known to have had legitimate access
to an object or location.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Embryology
A branch of biology that deals with the formation and development of embryos.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press
Eminence
A prominence, projection, or elevation.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press
Empirical
Relying on or derived from observation or experiment: empirical results that
supported the hypothesis. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or
experiment: empirical laws
The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=empirical 02-27-03
Relating to or based upon direct experience or observation.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press
Empirical Probability
Estimating the probability based on long run observations.
See Classical Probability and Subjective Probability.
Enclosure
A single friction ridge that bifurcates and rejoins after a short course and continues
as a single friction ridge.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Ending Ridge
A single friction ridge that terminates within the friction ridge structure.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Epidermal Ridges
1. Ridges on the skin, aka friction ridges.
2. Ridges on the bottom of the epidermis corresponding to the surface
friction ridges and surface furrows. They are the root system of the
surface ridges and furrows. The epidermal ridges that correspond to
the friction ridges are referred to as primary ridges and the epidermal
ridges that correspond to the surface furrows are referred to as secondary
ridges.
3. Epidermal ridges are sometimes referred to as papillary ridges.
Epidermis
The outer layer of the skin.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf
Cuticle or outer layer of the skin.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press
The outer layer of skin. Consisting of up to five layers: Stratum Corneum, Stratum
Lucidum, Stratum Granulosum, Stratum Spinosum and Stratum Basale (aka Stratum
Mucosum, Stratum Malpighi, or Stratum germinatavum). The epidermis is formed
from the ectoderm in an embryo.
Epithelial Cells
The millions of cells that line and protect the external and internal
surfaces of the body. Epithelial cells form epithelial tissues such
as skin and mucous membranes.
American Dietetic Association, Interactive Glossary.
Copyright 2003 Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
http://nutrition.jbpub.com/discovering/interactive_glossary_showterm.cfm?term=Epithelial%20cells 02-27-03
All epithelial tissues have the same properties, no blood vessels,
frequent cell division, cells are close to each other, and there are
cells with nuclei and a basement layer linking it to connective tissue.
Epithelial Tissue
Four kinds of tissue. Simple, stratified, pseudostratified, and
transitional. Skin on the fingers is considered stratified epithelium.
Erroneous Exclusion
In logic, an erroneous exclusion is an exclusion without valid justification to support
the conclusion.
The incorrect determination that two areas of friction ridge impressions did not originate
from the same source.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Erroneous Exclusions, known cases of:
Mark Miller (suspect) – 2009
Mark Miller was suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend Helen Bianks on Oct. 31, 2001
in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. His fingerprint had been identified on a gun thought
to be the murder weapon. Two retired FBI fingerprint experts, Ivan Futrell and George
Wynn, determined that the fingerprints did not match Mr. Miller. In Oct. 2007, Miller
pled guilty to third degree murder. In June 2009, the International Association of
Identification announced the suspension of certification of the retired FBI examiners
for one year, due to a Technical Error. The suspension is being appealed.
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State – Feb. 2007
In Feb. 2007, LPE M. Frantzen compared a patent print left in blood at a homicide scene.
After comparing the latent print to the suspect and the victim, Ms. Frantzen reported
her conclusion as negative. The prosecutor in the case made an inquiry with Ms.
Frantzen's supervisor, Ken Christensen, on whether this meant a third person had made
the impression. Mr. Christensen reviewed the case and made a tentative identification
to the suspect but requested clearer exemplars to make a final conclusion. A latent print examiner
from Washington State Patrol verified Mr. Christensen’s conclusions and testified to this
identification at a subsequent trial. This information was received through a public
disclosure request.
Sutherland (suspect) – 2006
On May 26, 2006 “The Scotsman” reported an erroneous identification by the
Glasgow Bureau of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO). A palm print from
a burglary was determined to be erroneous by Allan Bayle and confirmed by
John MacLeod and Gary Dempster. Gary Dempster reversed his opinion almost
immediately after a more in-depth investigation. The accused was cleared when
the prosecution accepted his not guilty plea. The “BBC News” reported the
case had been dropped because of reasons other than fingerprint evidence and
indicated the original identification was done in February of 2006. “The Scotsman”
reported the SCRO stands by its identification.
In June 2006, it was determined that the SCRO identification was correct. Allan
Bayle agreed his conclusion was wrong (considered to be an erroneous exclusion).
As of July 2007 this case is still being investigated and all of the facts of this case
may not be known. The name of the suspect, Sutherland, was published in
Strabismus 2007.
Jeremy Bryan Jones (suspect)
Jeremy Bryan Jones was using the name John Paul Chapman. Between October 2003
and June 2004, Jones was arrested 3 times and his fingerprints were sent to the FBI lab
in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The FBI's computer failed to match his prints to his real
name.
“Had a match been made, authorities would have known Chapman was Jones and he
was wanted in Oklahoma for jumping bail in 2000, where he was charged with two
counts of rape and two counts of sodomy.”
http://crime.about.com/od/serial/p/jeremyjones.htm 05-26-2006
Elmer Lee Smith (fingerprint expert)
In February 1994 Elmer Lee Smith, a past president of SCAFO, had his life
membership of SCAFO revoked after it was found that he had testified to
erroneous exclusions in four separate cases.
http://www.scafo.org/library/100304.html
John Orr (suspect)
In the 1980’s a series of arsons swept California. In 1987, another arson took
place near an arson investigators conference. A latent print was found but
wasn’t identified. In 1989 another arson occurred near another arson investigators
conference. The Department of Justice compared the latent print against 10 people
who attended both conferences and found the latent did not originate from any of
these people. In 1991, another fingerprint expert enlarged the print and ran it
through an AFIS computer. AFIS produced a possible candidate who had attended
both conferences and was one of the previous people the latent was compared to.
The latent print was subsequently identified to renowned Fire Captain John Orr.
Orr pled guilty to 20 arsons and was also convicted of murder for the 4 people who
died in the fires.
Dr. Vassilis C. Morfopoulos (defense expert)
In 1968, Dr. Morfopoulos testified for the defense in People v. Kent. He testified that
even though the prints had 12 (some articles say 14) similarities in common, the two
prints did not match. Due to this testimony, Richard Stanley Kent was found not
guilty of murder. In 1970, the IAI and the FBI refuted Dr. Morfopoulos’s claims.
Erroneous Identification
In logic, an erroneous identification is an identification without valid justification to
support the conclusion.
The incorrect determination that two areas of friction ridge impressions originated from
the same source.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Erroneous Identifications and Faulty Evidence (not confirmed):
Greater Manchester Police – 2010
While investigating the Alan McNamara case, Panorama discovered two additional errors by
the Greater Manchester Police that were both verified by two other examiners. Stephen
Wallace was the suspect in one case and the other person has not been identified by the
media.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/1993373.stm 2-21-2011
Stephen Wallace (Suspect) – 2010
Mr. Wallace was arrested in Nov. 2000 after his fingerprints were identified by the Greater
Manchester Police as coming from a burglary scene. The identification was verified by two
other examiners. Mike Armer, an independent fingerprint expert, discovered that there were
characteristics that did not match Wallace’s fingerprints. Wallace was acquitted. Panorama
discovered the mistakes while it was investigating the case of Alan McNamara.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/1993373.stm 2-21-2011
Daniel Rhodes (Suspect) – 2010
Daniel Rhodes was implicated in a crime when his fingerprints were identified as being found
at the scene of a break-in. He was cleared of any wrongdoing once it was discovered that the
latent prints, lifted and submitted by Tabor Prince, came from a training class Mr. Rhodes
was teaching and not from the crime scene. This was faulty evidence and not an erroneous
identification. This error happened in 2005 but was reported in the media in 2010.
Dwight Gomas (Suspect) – 2009
Dwight Gomas spent 17 months in jail; accused of robbery, after a fingerprint from the
crime scene was identified to him by NYPD Detective Eileen Barrett. Detective Charles
Schenkel verified the identification. Detective Daniel Perruzza found the error just
prior to Gomas’s trial. On Sept. 3, 2009, Gomas accepted a $145,000 settlement.
Derris Lewis (Suspect) – 2009
Derris Lewis spent 18 months in jail, accused of killing his identical twin brother, after a
bloody palm print at the scene was identified as being left by him. David Grieve was hired
by the defense to review the case and agreed with the identification; however, he wasn’t
convinced that the print was left in blood. At the recommendation of Mr. Grieve, the prints
were tested and found not to have been left in blood. The charges against Derris were
dropped on Aug. 6, 2009.
Alysha Wilson (Suspect) – 2009
Miss Wilson was arrested in Dec. 2008 when her fingerprints were found at the scene of
a burglary. In July 2009, charges were dropped when it was discovered that the latent
prints were labeled by the Greater Manchester Police as coming from a game console
box when they were really taken from a wedding card she had given the victim.
Argenis J. Burgos (Suspect) – 2008
Reported by the Associated Press on Oct. 19, 2008
“Teen spends year in jail before charges are dropped”
“HARTFORD (AP) — Charges are being dropped against a Hartford teen who spent
more than a year behind bars, accused of a 2007 home invasion robbery, because
the fingerprint evidence against him is faulty.
A judge granted a motion to end the prosecution of Argenis J. Burgos after the
initial fingerprint identification in the case proved to be incorrect. And Burgos,
now 18, does not fit the victim’s description of the robbers.
Burgos’ lawyer says his client always maintained his innocence and was never
near the East Hartford apartment where a 71-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint.
Police initially said they lifted the fingerprint evidence from the base of a cordless
phone. But Burgos’ lawyer says the print actually came from the getaway car,
which was a stolen rental car.”
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2008/10/19/news/a2-fingerprint.txt 07-01-2009
Los Angeles Police Dept.- 2008
In Oct. 2008 it was reported that the LAPD had arrested at least two people due to
erroneous fingerprint identifications. Maria Delosange Maldonado was erroneously
identified as leaving her fingerprints at the scene of a burglary. It was found that
the latent prints were lost when the prints were to be re-examined by the FBI.
In the second case, Latonya McIntyre was extradited from Alabama on burglary
charges and the error was found while preparing the evidence for trial. At least
one fingerprint analyst was fired and 3 others were suspended.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/11/18/metro/me-fingerprints18 12-20-2008
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab - 2008
Dexter Presnell was jailed from Oct. 2006 until May 2008 due to an error by the
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab. Dexter Presnell was falsely identified
as the person leaving a latent print at the 2005 homicide scene of Regan Wheeler
in Dallas, Texas. The examiner in the case mistakenly compared the latent print
from the scene to the elimination prints of Wheeler’s daughter thinking they were
the prints of Dexter Presnell. Presnell wasn’t immediately released from jail because
other evidence also connected him to the scene. The district attorney said the
fingerprint evidence was the main evidence but the error didn’t exonerate Prenell.
Certified Examiner Donna Birks - 2007
On May 4, 2007, it was reported that there were some problems with the fingerprint
analyses in two cases from a Certified Latent Print Examiner, Donna Birks, from
Seminole County, Florida. One of the cases involved a latent print on a wallet in a
burglary case, this case was dropped. The other case had an identification of a
latent print on a shell casing in a homicide case. It was determined the latent
prints didn’t have enough detail to warrant a positive identification.
By June 7, 2007, hundreds of cases had been reviewed. It was found that there
was 1 case that had an erroneous identification and 7 others had identifications
that should have been inconclusive. Birks resigned, the supervisor of this latent
unit was reassigned to supervisor another unit, and another latent examiner
(Tara Williamson) was reassigned as a dispatcher. It was reported that Bill
McQuay, a retired Certified Examiner, verified the erroneous identification
but this hasn’t been confirmed.
Sutherland (Suspect) – 2006
On May 26, 2006 “The Scotsman” reported an erroneous identification by the
Glasgow Bureau of the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO). A palm print from
a burglary was determined to be erroneous by Allan Bayle and confirmed by
John MacLeod and Gary Dempster. Gary Dempster reversed his opinion almost
immediately after a more in-depth investigation. The accused was cleared when
the prosecution accepted his not guilty plea. The “BBC News” reported the
case had been dropped because of reasons other than fingerprint evidence and
indicated the original identification was done in February of 2006. “The Scotsman”
reported the SCRO stands by its identification.
In June 2006, it was determined that the SCRO identification was correct. Allan
Bayle agreed his conclusion was wrong (considered to be an erroneous exclusion).
As of July 2007 this case is still being investigated and all of the facts of this case
may not be known. The name of the suspect, Sutherland, was published in
Strabismus 2007.
Brandon Mayfield - 2004
Brandon Mayfield is a U.S. citizen who in May of 2004 was wrongfully arrested
as a material witness with regard to a terrorism attack in Spain. His arrest
was due to an erroneous fingerprint identification made by 3 FBI Examiners,
Michael Wieners, John T. Massey, Terry Green and 1 private fingerprint expert,
Ken Moses. News reports indicate, "Court records show that retired FBI agent
John Massey, who worked on the Madrid case, was reprimanded three times by the
FBI between 1969 and 1974 for errors, including twice making false fingerprint
identifications."
http://www.mobmagazine.com/managearticle.asp?C=240&A=7466
In November 2006 Mayfield was awarded a $2 million dollar settlement by the U.S.
Justice Department. The settlement also included an apology and an agreement to
destroy communications intercepts conducted by the FBI against Mayfield's home
and office during the investigation. The Justice Department added that Mayfield
was not targeted because of his Muslim faith.
Stephan Cowans - 2004
In 1997, Stephan Cowans was convicted of shooting a police officer in Boston,
Massachusetts. Part of the evidence against him included the identification of a
fingerprint on a drinking glass associated with the crime scene. Additional evidence
included faulty eyewitness testimony. In 2004, after spending 6 years in prison,
Cowans was exonerated with DNA evidence. A mislabeled fingerprint card has
been alleged to be the source of the error in the Cowans case. Others have
speculated that Cowans may have been framed by members of the Boston Police
Dept. Lab technicians Dennis LeBlanc and Rosemary Mclaughlin were put on
administrative leave pending an investigation.
In August of 2006, Cowans won a 3.2 million dollar settlement and received
$500,000 from the state for the wrongful conviction. On Oct 25, 2007, Cowans
was found shot to death in his home.
Roger Benson / Identix computer discrepancy - 2004
Miguel Espinoza / Identix computer discrepancy - 2004
David Valken-Leduc - 2003
In Aug. 2002 in West Valley, Utah, Certified Latent Print Examiner Scott Spjut
testified at a preliminary hearing that a print found at a 1996 murder scene of
a motel 6 night clerk belonged to David Jonathan Valken-Leduc. After Spjut's
unexpected death in early 2003, his identification was reviewed and found to be
erroneous. Valken-Leduc was still convicted of the murder in early 2004.
Mark Sinclair – 2003
In 2003, Mark Sinclair was linked to an Armed Robbery through a fingerprint identification made
by the SCRO. This identification has been questioned due to an independent examiners
conclusion (Allan Bayle) that the identification was ’unsafe’. Fingerprint experts from Northern
Ireland agreed with Allan Bayle’s conclusion.
Alan McNamara - 2002
Alan McNamara, a small discount store owner, was arrested in Oct. 1999 for burglary
of a house in Rochdale. The only connection in the case between Mr. McNamara and the
crime was a disputed thumbprint. The thumbprint lifted by the Greater Manchester
Police was alleged to have been taken from a jewelry case in the house owner's
bedroom. Although McNamara maintained his innocence, he was found guilty of the
crime and sentenced to 2 ˝ years in prison. He was released in Aug. 2002 on good
behavior. In November of the following year, McNamara won the right to appeal his
conviction. At trial, examiners Allan Bayle and Pat Wertheim testified that the
print was that of Mr McNamara, but that the print was lifted off a different
surface than the jewelry case. It appeared that the print was lifted off a smooth
curved surface, which could have been touched by Mr. McNamara quite innocently
during his day to day business. In Dec. 2004, the appeal was heard at The Royal
Courts of Justice and McNamara's conviction stood. It was determined that since
McNamara's prints were found on an item with the home owners prints on the same
item, he must have been the burglar. McNamara hopes to take the case to the Criminal
Case Review Commission, an independent body set up by the government to look at
alleged cases of miscarriage of justice.
Kathleen Hatfield - 2002
In 2002, Kathleen Hatfield was identified as the victim of a homicide after an
erroneous fingerprint identification by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The error may have been due to the body being badly decomposed, similar tattoos, and
the fact that Kathleen Hatfield was listed as a missing person.
Richard Jackson - 2000
In 1998, Rick Jackson was convicted of murdering his friend Alvin David and given a life
sentence in Delaware County, Pennsylvania based on an erroneous fingerprint
identification. Two local police officers, Anthony Paparo and Upper Darby Police
Superintendent Vincent Ficchi, made the erroneous identification and it was verified
by an out of state Certified Examiner. Retired FBI examiner George Wynn was the first
examiner to discover the mistake, Vernon McCloud, another former FBI examiner,
verified Wynn’s conclusion just days before Jackson’s trial. Even with this testimony,
Jackson was found guilty. The International Association of Identification reviewed the
identification and agreed that it was erroneous. In 2000, after the FBI concurred with
these results, Jackson was released from prison. The Certified Examiner was decertified
and lost his job. The Upper Darby Police and Anthony Paparo stand by the identification.
MSNBC “When Forensics Fail” Oct. 25, 2007
Danny McNamee - 1998
In 1986, Danny McNamee was sentenced for conspiracy to cause explosions in London and
found guilty of being "The Hyde Park Bomber". In 1998 his charges were quashed.
14 experts analyzed the latent prints and couldn't find more than 11 characteristics
in common (in a country that required 16 to make a positive identification).
Shirley McKie - 1997
In 1997, Shirley McKie, a detective with the Strathclyde Police in Scotland,
was charged with perjury after denying that she had left a fingerprint at the
murder scene of Marion Ross. David Asbury was convicted of this murder based
on other fingerprint evidence. Later both charges were overturned while the SCRO,
who performed the fingerprint analysis, stood by their identifications. On February 7, 2006,
just prior to Shirley McKie’s civil hearing, The Scottish Ministers settled out of court for the
full amount Ms. McKie was suing for, while not admitting to any errors.
Over 10 years after the murder the identifications were still under dispute and a resolution
seemed impossible. In April 2007, the examiners involved in this case were asked to resign.
4 of the 6 examiners (Robert McKenzie, Allan Dunbar, Hugh McPherson and Charlie Stewart)
took a redundancy package. One examiner, Tony McKenna, agreed to be redeployed to
Strathclyde Police. Fiona McBride refused to accept another job at 1/3 of her salary and
was fired on May 1, 2007. Fiona McBride is pursuing legal action.
Manuel Quinta Guerra - 1996
Manuel Quinta Guerra served 4 months in jail due to an erroneous identification by the Houston
Police Department. In July of 1996, two fingerprint analysts identified a latent print on a
fork from the homicide scene of Lawrence Perham to Guerra. Guerra and Perham were roommates.
In December 1996, the identification was reviewed by the FBI and found to be an error. Rafael
Saldivar was reprimanded for the error in 1997. This was reported on July 18, 2010 by the
Houston Chronicle.
Andrew Chiory - 1996
In 1996, Andrew Chiory served 2 months in prison due to an erroneous identification done
by Scotland Yard. This was claimed to be the first mistaken identification by Scotland Yard
since the bureau’s inception in 1901 (Cole, “Suspect Identities” 2001). Simon Harris initially
made the erroneous identification (Daily Mall, April 10, 1997) which led to the arrest of
Andrew Chiory for the 1995 home burglary of well-known writer and broadcaster Dr. Miriam
Stoppard. The identification was said to be triple checked by Scotland Yard. Ron Cook was
one of the examiners that re-examined the evidence and determined it to be erroneous. In
defense motions, this case is commonly referred to by a newspaper article by Stephen Grey,
“Yard in Fingerprint Blunder”, April 1997.
David Asbury – 1996
David Asbury was linked to the murder of Marion Ross after his fingerprint was identified on
a gift tag in her home and a latent print found on a candy tin in David Asbury’s home was
identified as that of Marion Ross. During the trial, the identification of a latent print from a
door frame was identified as belonging to Detective Shirley McKie. Ms. McKie insisted this
identification was erroneous. Subsequently, the previous identifications were questioned
and the identification of the print on the candy tin was declared to be erroneous. Despite
the uncertainty of the fingerprint evidence, David Asbury was found guilty of murder and
sentenced to life. In 2000, after spending 3 years in jail, Asbury won an appeal and his
conviction was eventually overturned. The SCRO, who made the identifications, stands
by their conclusions. In January 2006 it was reported that a 3rd erroneous ID was made
on a banknote linking Asbury to the murder. This was later reported as false information.
Over 10 years after the murder the identifications were still under dispute and a resolution
seemed impossible. In April 2007, the examiners involved in this case were asked to resign.
4 of the 6 examiners (Robert McKenzie, Allan Dunbar, Hugh McPherson and Charlie Stewart)
took a redundancy package. One examiner, Tony McKenna, agreed to be redeployed to
Strathclyde Police. Fiona McBride refused to accept another job at 1/3 of her salary and
was fired on May 1, 2007. Fiona McBride is pursuing legal action.
Clapham - 1993
On Nov.9, 1993 the South Wales Argus reported the erroneous identification in the “Newport
betting shop murder” trial. The victim of the murder was 24 year old Sian Collier, manager of
the betting shop. William Ervin, a New Scotland Yard fingerprint bureau expert, blamed his
erroneous identification of Clapham on an inability to see properly. When he re-examined
the evidence during the trial (Oct. 28, 1993), he noticed his mistake but didn’t immediately
notify the courts.
Susan May (Suspect) - 1993
On March 12, 1992, Susan May discovered the body of her aunt, Hilda Marchbank, in her aunt's
house which had been ransacked. After Ms. May’s fingerprints were identified at the scene by
the Greater Manchester Police as being left in blood, she was arrested, charged with murder,
found guilty, and received a life sentence. Susan May was released from prison in May 2005 after
serving the minimum time required. Her conviction remains in doubt because the tests to determine
the matrix of the fingerprints, the substance deposited by the finger when leaving the fingerprint,
were not specific enough to support the conclusion that the fingerprints were deposited in blood.
Neville Lee - 1991
In 1991, based on fingerprint evidence, Nottinghamshire police arrested Neville Lee
for raping an 11-year old girl. He was released only after someone else confessed
to the crime.
Barry Bowden and Mike Barrett - 1988
In North Carolina, officials had to reconsider 159 criminal cases because local
authorities discovered questionable fingerprint identifications. [FN110] The fingerprint
misidentification resulted in two murder charges being dropped by the district attorney's
office.
[FN110]. Barry Bowden and Mike Barrett, Fingerprint Errors Raise Questions on Local
Convictions, FAYETTEVILLE TIMES, Jan. 15, 1988, at 1A.
http://www.law-forensic.com/expert_malpractice_1.htm 01-19-2005
Michael Cooper - 1986
In 1986, Michael Cooper was wrongfully arrested as the Prime Time Rapist, when his
fingerprints were erroneously identified by the Tucson Police Department as those
from the Prime Time Rapist crime scenes. Within one day of his arrest it was found
that the prints did not match.
http://michaeljbloom.lawoffice.com/CustomPage_3.shtml 08-07-2004
Bruce Basden - 1986
In June 1985 Bruce Basden was arrested and indicted for the murders of Remus and
Blanche Adams in Fayetteville North Caroliana on the basis of a fingerprint found
in the decedents' home. [FN113] Basden's*53 attorney requested funds to have the
fingerprint evidence reappraised and filed a motion to discover the physical evidence
in the possession of the state. [FN114] "At this point the state's fingerprint expert
made enlargements of the prints from which he had made an identification of Basden as
the intruder .... The state's expert admitted that he found unexplained dissimilarities
along with similarities in the prints." [FN115] These discrepancies caused him to
change his mind. The state subsequently dismissed all charges against Basden, who had
been incarcerated in the local jail for thirteen months. [FN116]
http://www.law-forensic.com/expert_malpractice_1.htm#FN;F4 08-07-2004
Roger Caldwell - 1981
In 1977, Caldwell was convicted of 2 counts of murder partly based on latent print
evidence from an envelope. The latent prints in question were developed and identified
by Steven Sedlacek. A defense expert, Ronald Welbaum, agreed with the identification.
During the trial of a co-defendant (Caldwell’s wife), it was discovered that the original
latent had faded and another fingerprint expert testified that the images on the negatives
were very poor but his opinion was that they did not match Caldwell’s prints. In 1981 or
1982, the Minnesota Supreme Court granted Caldwell a new trial. In a plea agreement
Caldwell plead guilty in exchange for time served. In 1988, Caldwell committed suicide
still proclaiming his innocence. Steven Sedlacek’s and Ronald Welbaum’s IAI certifications
were revoked over this incident along with another certified examiner named Claude Cook.
Cook was decertified for submitting communication in support of the erroneous identification
(Cole, “Suspect Identities” 2001). In 2003, DNA testing was done on the envelope and it
was determined that the DNA on the adhesive portion of the envelope did belong to Caldwell.
William Stevens - 1926
In 1926, Stevens was one of several suspects in a double murder case known as the Hall-
Mills murders (New Jersey 1922). Retired Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Faurot, along
with Lieutenant Fred Drewen and Edward H. Schwartz, erroneously identified a latent print
on key evidence to William Stevens. J.H. Taylor and Gerhardt Kuhne (brother of Frederick
Kuhne) testified for the defense in this trial. William Stevens and the other suspects
were acquitted and the double murder was never solved.
Also see Fabricated Latent Prints, known cases of.
Error
An error may be described as any result outside a given criteria. By this definition, an
inappropriate decision is not considered an error since there is no given criteria;
inappropriate decisions are the result of personal criterion. The term error indicates the
existence of a problem. If inappropriate decisions are a problem then a given criteria should
be established to prevent inappropriate decisions. The problem is not the inappropriate
decision, the problem is in allowing personal judgments to be made in lieu of having a criteria.
Depending on the given criteria, errors may include:
a) An incorrect conclusion.
b) A correct conclusion arrived at through unacceptable justification.
c) A correct conclusion with the inability to produce justification.
See Inappropriate Decision.
Error Rate
The rate at which errors occur.
The error rate of fingerprint conclusions will vary depending on the method and QA measures
used.
Error Rate Studies
-Peterson and Markham (1995) – “Crime Laboratory Proficiency Test Results”
-Dror, Peron, Hind, and Charlton (2005) – “When emotions get the better of us: The effect of
contextual top-down processing on matching fingerprints”
-Dror, Charlton, and Peron (2006) – “Contextual information renders experts vulnerable to
making erroneous identifications”
-Wertheim, Langenburg, and Moenssens (2006) – “A Report of Latent Print Examiner Accuracy
During Comparison Training Exercises”
-Black Box Study (2011) – “Accuracy and reliability of forensic latent fingerprint decisions”
Errors (causes of)
Errors in conclusions are caused by misinterpretation of data or caused by using an insufficient
amount of data to arrive at a conclusion. Errors have not been attributed to duplicated
configurations of fingerprint characteristics between two portions of friction skin.
See Accuracy (factors of)
Errors (types of)
a) Erroneous Individualization, aka a false positive or type 1 error.
b) False negative, aka false exclusion or a type 2 error.
c) Erroneous Verification.
d) Clerical Errors.
e) Missed Individualization.
Etched Print
The result of a chemical reaction between fingerprint residue and a substrate.
The acids in fingerprint residue deteriorate the substrate that was touched
leaving an impression of friction ridge detail. This usually occurs with
metals and leathers.
Ethanol
Solvent used in preparation of reagents, dye stains and rinses (ethyl alcohol).
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf
Ethyl Acetate
Solvent used in the preparation of reagents and dye stains.
SWGFAST, Glossary - Consolidated 09-09-03 ver. 1.0
http://www.swgfast.org/Glossary_Consolidated_ver_1.pdf
European Network of Forensic Science Institutes.
Informally started in March of 1993 and formally founded in Oct. 1995,
the ENFSI is the European equivalent of the American Society of Crime
Laboratory Directors (ASCLD).
Evaluation
The third step of the ACE-V method wherein an examiner assesses the value of the
details observed during the analysis and the comparison steps and reaches a conclusion.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
The process of examining a system or system component to determine the extent to
which specified properties are present.
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2004 Denis Howe
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=evaluation 01-05-2005
See ACE-V.
Evans, Edward A.
Son of Captain Michael Evans. One of Ferrier's nine fingerprint students
taught in 1904 during the World's Fair. Superintendent of the National
Bureau of Identification.
Evans, Captain Emmett A. (?-Dec. 23, 1953)
Son of Captain Michael Evans. One of Ferrier's nine fingerprint students
taught in 1904 during the World's Fair. Chief Identification Inspector
for the Chicago Police Department.
Evans, Captain Michael P. (?-Oct. 7, 1931)
Implemented the Bertillon system in 1888 at the Chicago Police Department
and implemented the fingerprint system in 1905 while he was the Chief of
the Identity Bureau. Testified in "People vs. Jennings".
Evans, William M.
Son of Captain Michael Evans. Testified in "People vs. Jennings". Head
of the Chicago Police Department Bureau of Identification.
Evans, Captain William K.
In 1916, as a retired Captain of the U.S. Army Intelligence Service, Capt.
Evans along with T.G. Cooke founded the first home study course in fingerprint
identification. Located in Chicago, Illinois and originally named "Evans
University", the name was changed one year later to the "University of Applied
Science". Around 1929 the name was again changed to the "Institute of Applied
Science". Evans connection with the school only lasted one year. In 1917,
Evans was called back to active duty to serve in World War I.
Evans University
See Institute of Applied Science.
Evett – Williams Study
In 1989 (published in 1996) I. W. Evett and R.L. Williams did a review of the 16
point standard used in England and Wales (the 16-point standard was abandoned
by England and Wales in 2001). Their review included the historical aspects,
statistical aspects, visits to different agencies, and a review of practitioners
comparisons (practitioners conducted 10 comparisons). By the end of their
review they determined there was no need for the 16 point standard.
While conducting their study they found that examiners had a high variation
in how many points they stated were in common while conducting comparisons.
Evett and Williams concluded that “….decision making in relation to individual
points of comparison is highly subjective.”
The variation in the results may have been due to how the questions were
phrased. On the answer sheet of this study practitioners were asked to count
‘ridge characteristics in agreement’ and in another part of the study they
asked for “..the number of points of similarity” (pg 16 of the study results).
There seems to be a wide variation between how practitioners view ‘points’
and ‘characteristics’. The term ‘points’ generally refers to bifurcations and
ending ridges while the term ‘characteristics’ can refer to large pores,
incipient ridges, dots, scars, etc. It’s possible that the variation between
practitioners in this study was due to a lack of clarity in the directions.
Exact Science
Historically, this expression comes from Aristotle. He used the phrase to
describe sciences that demonstrate precise conclusions from known principles;
philosophy, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and harmonics. Ptolemy argued
that philosophy was less precise and was not based from known principles.
In the 17th century, the meaning of this expression began to change.
Mathematics no longer appeared to be a science, but the language of or an
assistant to science. Physics is now regarded as an exact science.
Exchange Principle
See Locard's Principle of Exchange.
Exclusion
The determination by an examiner that there is sufficient quality and quantity of
detail in disagreement to conclude that two areas of friction ridge impressions
did not originate from the same source.
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Exemplar
The prints of an individual, associated with a known or claimed identity, and
deliberately recorded electronically, by ink, or by another medium (also known as known prints).
SWGFAST, Standard Terminology of Friction Ridge Examination 3-23-11 ver. 3.0
Aka Known Print or Standards.
Expert
Person with much skill who knows a great deal about some special thing; has
an in-depth understanding of a subject.
Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis, David R. Ashbaugh 1999 CRC Press
A person with great knowledge, skill or experience in a specific subject.
Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary, Office Edition.
Houghton Mifflin Publishing Co. Copyright 1984, Berkley Addition.
Explainable Differences (in friction ridge identifications)
Differences in appearance that don't interfere with the identification process.
These differences can include such things as size, thickness of ridges, distortion
and level 3 characteristics being absent in one impression. Typically these
differences are a result of one of the "Latent Print Recovery Conditions".
Extrusion Marks
Marks that are made when casting metals or plastics. These marks can resemble
friction ridge detail by replication ridges with bifurcations and ending ridges.
These marks typically appear with a wavy motion and have no signs of pores
or ridge edges. These marks have been called sprue marks and/or false ridge
detail.
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