Title: The Impact of Mishandled Evidence on the Accused - Tracker Products
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The Impact of Mishandled Evidence on the Accused
August 21, 2019

Content: The Impact of Mishandled Evidence on the Accused - Tracker Products
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The Impact of Mishandled Evidence on the Accused
August 21, 2019
When evidence is lost or destroyed, a court must decide guilt or innocence based solely on the witness’s unsubstantiated testimony for both the prosecution and defense. And if the evidence was exculpatory, the defendant will be negatively impacted, even if a new trial is ordered. Mishandled, damaged or lost physical or digital evidence can happen at any time during the chain of custody: at the crime scene, during the packaging, when transferring, and during evidence analysis and storage. While forensic scientists are sensitive to the issue of contamination and have developed protocols to identify and reduce these risks, law enforcement has been slower to incorporate precautions in contamination prevention. Sometimes, it’s not only the victims that suffer due to mishandled evidence, but the accused as well. Recently, the FBI admitted to decades of relying on faulty hair analysis in trials – a grave error in criminal proceedings. Among those convicted on fraudulent evidence, 32 defendants were sentenced to death, 14 of whom have either died in prison or had already been executed. Related: To read about, How One Officer Went Bad, CLICK HERE.