Williams v. Illinois

Amicus curiae brief of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Brief filed: 12/06/2011

Documents

Williams v. Illinois

United States Supreme Court; Case No. 10-8505

Argument(s)

DNA laboratory analysts are not infallible. Developing a DNA profile of a suspect from biologic evidence collected in a criminal investigation is a complicated process requiring skill and judgment; making the prosecution expert who declares a DNA “match” available for cross-examination does not obviate the necessity of cross-examination of the lab analyst who actually did the benchwork developing the DNA profile. 

Author(s)

Sandra K. Levick and Catharine F. Easterly, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, Washington, DC.