Autopsy of a Crime Lab

"An indispensable book for understanding how the misuse of forensics has contributed to almost half of all wrongful convictions. Brandon Garrett brilliantly busts the myth of the 'infallible' expert witness laboring in a completely 'objective and flawless' crime lab, applying only the 'most reliable' scientific methods. With unique insight and specificity, he explains the ways forensics can go wrong and shows how to make it right. If you believe that when life and liberty are at stake, accuracy and candor are essential, this book is a must-read."--Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, founders of the Innocence Project "The greatest source of contamination in the lab is the human mind. Garrett breaks the illusions that a white lab coat shields a person from bias and that a sterile environment necessarily produces cold, incorruptible conclusions. Necessary reading for those who implement the criminal justice system and for those who find ourselves thrust into it, either as a suspect or juror."--Amanda Knox, author of Waiting to Be Heard "One of the hardest things we 'innocence lawyers' face is unraveling the damage of bad forensics in a case years or decades later. Garrett's book is the best book yet to unravel the pervasive problem of bad forensics leading to wrongful convictions."--Mark Godsey, author of Blind Injustice: A Former Prosecutor Exposes the Psychology and Politics of Wrongful Convictions "A powerful indictment of the state of forensic evidence from one of America's leading voices for urgent science-based reform. Mixing cutting-edge research with jaw-dropping stories, Brandon Garrett reveals a scandal of staggering proportions and the ongoing efforts to cover it up. This is a call to action that every citizen should read--and everyone involved in the criminal justice system should read twice."--Adam Benforado, author of Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice "This very timely book is a must-read for anyone interested in crime, bias, forensics, wrongful conviction, and the (mis)use of science. It is a wake-up call to bring science, transparency, and justice to the criminal justice system."--Itiel Dror, Senior Cognitive Neuroscience Researcher, University College London