CSI On Trial
It is nearly impossible to imagine a criminal investigation that does not involve some kind of forensic science: firearms analysis, bloodstain patterns, arson, etc. But what leads us to trust these methods? Some point to the “CSI effect.” Viewers who have been watching true crime shows and trials for years have been trained to assume these methods lead to the right people getting arrested and convicted of some of the most heinous crimes. But what’s the science behind them? Are they valid? In this podcast, host Molly Hermann lays out the lack of science behind some of the most well-known CSI tools, and tells the stories of the wrongfully convicted who went to prison for years. She interviews nearly 70 people - including forensic scientists, legal experts, and the exonerated - and digs into the larger issues within the criminal justice system that have let the “junk science” in.
Episodes
Warning: This episode contains details of graphic violence and sexual assault against children.
Before he was drafted into the NBA, Chris Paul experienced a tragic loss: the murder of his grandfather Nathaniel Jones. Five teenagers were ultimately convicted, including brothers Rayshawn Banner and Nathaniel Cauthen. The key piece of physical evidence was a pair of size 9 Nike Air Force 1s found in the boys’ home. But with millions...
Join award-winning historian and Professor of History at Kean University, Dr. Christopher M. Bellitto, Ph.D. to explore some of the most powerful ideas, tensions, and political struggles that shaped the modern world in the new podcast Half-Hour History: Secrets of the Medieval World. Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/867-half-hour-history-110763991/
Warning: This episode contains details of gun violence against children.
The man who taught police departments around the country how to analyze bloodstain patterns went on to testify in one of the most famous cases of the 20th century: The OJ Simpson trial. But in the case of Indiana state trooper David Camm, the interpretation of just a few specks of blood sent him to prison for the murder of his entire family-a crime he was ac...
Warning: This episode contains details of gun violence.
The gangster era of the 1920s led to breakthroughs in firearms used as evidence in criminal trials. But many studies now show that matching cartridge casings from a crime scene leaves room for human error. And for Odell Adams, the questionable reliability of firearms analysis put him on trial twice for the same crime.
Warning: This episode contains details of graphic violence and sexual assault.
Using bitemarks to investigate crimes dates back centuries to the Salem Witch Trials, but it became famous in the modern era during the prosecution of Ted Bundy. Bitemarks are often touted as being as unique as a person’s fingerprint. But Keith Harward calls that claim bogus. He was wrongfully convicted of murder and rape based on bitemark evidence.
...Popular TV shows and high-profile televised trials have made forensic science famous…but what’s the science and history behind it? Host and filmmaker Molly Hermann traces the roots of these tools and the questions surrounding their accuracy.
CSI On Trial is a co-production of iHeart Podcasts and School of Humans. It is a Curiosity Podcast based on the Curiosity Stream series CSI On Trial. You can watch all six episodes of the vid...
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.
My name is Jay Shetty, and my purpose is to make wisdom go viral. I’m fortunate to have fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world, and on my podcast, I’m sharing those conversation with you. New episodes Mondays and Fridays. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts, and please rate and review the podcast if you enjoy it. Live life today ON PURPOSE.