BBC reports on SCRO fingerprint investigation

[Brian Morrison]

On Thu, 22 Jun 2000 17:22:23 +0100, Ross Anderson wrote:

>I think this is relevant to the list. It's a vintage example of our
>government's response to a systemic failure of technical evidence.
>Total failure to understand issues, leading to persistent denial,
>followed by panic-stricken ass covering and finally the punishment of
>the innocent. Rather that than change the rules which led to the
>failure in the first place!

To add a bit to this thread, I was listening to File on Four last night
and heard quite a lot about the case of Shirley McKie. I was totally
incredulous when the presenter explained that one of ACPO's and the
HO's actions related to this whole issue is that they wish to remove
the 16 point match criteria completely and replace it with *NO* match
criteria. Apparently in court the prosecution's forensic expert would
present his opinion, it would then be up to the defense to find their
own forensic expert and have him give his opinion. The jury then has to
decide.

I was also very interesting listening to a very senior Scottish police
officer trying to avoid agreeing with the presenter that in the Shirley
McKie case the Scottish Criminal Records Office experts were wrong!

-- 
Brian Morrison                                  bdm@fenrir.demon.co.uk
              do you know how far this has gone?
               just how damaged have I become?
                                      'Even Deeper' by Nine Inch Nails