The Presumption of Innocence Podcast: Episode 40 – Debunking Pseudoscience in the Courtroom: A Conversation with Chris Fabricant of the Innocence Project | Fox Rothschild LLP

It is a feeling of outrage that drives M. Chris Fabricant, Director of Strategic Litigation at the Innocence Project, out of bed every morning.

There are about 2.3 million people incarcerated in the United States at any given time. Estimates suggest that the wrongful conviction rate is as high as 5%, Fabricant says. That means tens of thousands of innocent people are behind bars for crimes they did not commit but were convicted of, often on the basis of Show more +

It is a feeling of outrage that drives M. Chris Fabricant, Director of Strategic Litigation at the Innocence Project, out of bed every morning.

There are about 2.3 million people in prison in the United States at any given time. It’s estimated that as many as 5% of cases are wrongfully convicted, Fabricant says. That means tens of thousands of innocent people are behind bars for crimes they didn’t commit but were convicted of, often on the basis of pseudoscientific evidence.

Chris, author of “Junk Science in the American Criminal Justice System,” joins host Matt Adams to discuss the history and development of forensic science. Forensic science emerged as a “field” in the second half of the 20th century and was often developed without the use of scientific methods. Bite marks and blood spatter have since been accepted as “evidence” by courts and the media. The field also deals with systemic racial, social and economic justice issues that continue to impact convictions today.

Chris and Matt scientifically debunk certain elements of the field and share with listeners how they can support the Innocence Project’s important mission.

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