Before the government introduces "expert" testimony during a sentencing hearing or trial there are a number of effective and creative motions to bar the government from polluting your judge or jury with weak conclusions based on "junk science." The NAS has identified a number of suspect areas such as fingerprints, bite marks, ballistics and other trace evidence and attorneys need to attack early and often before the judge and jury gets polluted.

These presentations were recorded August 23-25, 2012, during the Multi-Track Seminar and the Fundamentals of Federal Criminal Defense Training in Chicago, Illinois.

The Multi-Track Seminar was designed to offer in-depth instruction in a variety of substantive criminal defense areas. The five tracks for 2012 in Chicago were: 1) Sentencing in a Post-Booker World; 2) Immigration and a Closer Look at Padilla; 3) Computer Crimes, Social Networking and the Electronic Footprint We Leave; 4) Science, Experts and the National Academy of Science Report (NAS); and 5) Trial Skills: Techniques & Issues. Tracks 1-4 were presented in four distinct hour-long time blocks. These sessions were presented on Thursday, August 23, 2012 and then repeated on Friday, August 24, 2012. This design provided seminar participants with the opportunity to attend two of the four separate tracks taking place on Thursday and Friday.

On Saturday, August 25, 2012, seminar participants had the opportunity to attend both plenary and small group breakout sessions for the 5th track, Trial Skills: Techniques & Issues. Saturday sessions addressed topics of general interest and importance to criminal defense practitioners during trials. Each Saturday session was provided twice so attendees could attend two areas of interest concerning trial techniques & issues.

The following sessions were recorded and are available for viewing:

• Padilla and Attorneys' Obligations When Advising Clients
• The Science of False Recollection: Mistaken Memories and How to Attack Identification and Other Witness Memories
• Where's Waldo?: Tracking People Using Their Cell Phones, IPADS, Blackberrys, GPS Enabled Gadgets and Other Devices
• Sentencing Guideline Issues in Illegal Reentry Cases: Getting the Correct Guideline Calculations and Departures Your Client Deserves
• Mitigation Experts/Tools/Tricks/Fireworks When Arguing for a Better Sentence
• CJA Resources
• Understanding the NAS Report and Filing Pre-Trial Motions to Attack the Government's Use of Expert Testimony
• Laboratory Reports Received in Discovery
• Critical Issues to Consider When Defending Immigration Matters
• Experts: How to Use Them, Abuse Them and Keep Them Off The Stand
• Attacking Trace Evidence Such as Fingerprints, Tool Marks and Firearm Matches
• Developing a Theory and Theme Driven Trial Strategy
• Openings
• Computerized Presentations in the Courtroom
• Ethical Issues Confronting Criminal Defense Attorneys

Understanding the NAS Report and Filing Pre-Trial Motions to Attack the Government's Use of Expert Testimony

Speaker Information

Melinda Sarafa   [ view bio ]

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