Capital Litigation Initiative: Crime Scene to Courtroom Forensics Training

Webinar 12: DNA Evidence Essentials

• What is probabilistic genotyping.
• Questions attorneys should ask the experts.
• Compare/contrast types of services available at public vs. private lab.
• Related case law; and preparing for testimony.

Rachel Oefelein is currently the Quality Assurance Manager and a Senior DNA Analyst at DNA Labs International (DLI). Additionally, Rachel oversees Research and Innovation at DLI. She received her MSc in Forensic Science from the University of Strathclyde, and her BS in Criminal Justice, with a Forensic Science Minor, from Loyola University of New Orleans. Rachel worked at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) for nearly five years and previously interned at Instytut Ekspertyz Sądowych, the Forensic Laboratory in Krakow, Poland. Since joining DNA Labs International in 2014, Rachel has testified in eight Florida counties, two states and four countries as an expert witness for both the prosecution and the defense in misdemeanor and felony trials, as well as Daubert and Arthur hearings. More information is available at www.dnalabsinternational.com/.

All course materials will be available at the conclusion of the webinar:

• Outline
• Learning Objectives
• Preparing For Expert Testimony With A Forensic DNA Analyst: New Technology, Rachel H. Oefelein
• Further Reading List

View the webinar recording.

This webinar is designed for both prosecutors and defense attorneys. Attendees who complete this webinar will be eligible for Continuing Legal Education credits. The Stetson Office of Professional Education will work with each individual participant for reporting specifics. CLE applications will be made to Florida and other states per individual requests. Please email ope@law.stetson.edu for further information and state specific requests.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2015-CP-BX-K006 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.