Capital Litigation Initiative: Crime Scene to Courtroom Forensics Training

Webinar 5: Forensic Science Essentials: Challenges in Fire Analysis and Document Examination

Forensic Science Essentials: Fire Analysis and Document Examination includes an overview of each discipline that addresses investigation techniques and types of evidence that can be obtained during scientific fire analysis and forensic document examination. The panelists discuss outcomes that can and cannot be determined as a result of forensic examination in each field. Training requirements, standards, and certifications that apply to fire investigators and document examiners are presented.

Discussions explore current research and research needs as well as literature and data related to the validation of methodologies specific to each discipline. The webinar addresses the credentials defense attorneys and prosecutors should look for when dealing with an expert witness in fire investigation and document examination. Panelists offer tips and take-away points for effective presentation of scientific evidence as well as cross and direct examination strategies.

This webinar is designed for both prosecutors and defense attorneys, particularly those litigating capital cases.

Webinar panelists include:

• Eileen Fynan is the Director of Technology and Distance Education for the award-winning National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law (NCSTL).
• John J. Lentini has personally conducted more than 2,000 fire scene inspections and has been accepted as an expert witness on more than 200 occasions. He is a frequent invited speaker on the subject of the standard of care in fire investigation and laboratory analysis of fire debris, as well as on the progress of standardization in the forensic sciences. His book, Scientific Protocols for Fire Investigation, is in its second edition.
• Linton A. Mohammed has been in the field of Forensic Document Examination for more than 30 years. He is certified by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, Inc. and holds a Diploma in Document Examination from the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Dr. Mohammed is a member and Past-President of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, Inc. and is currently serving as the Chair of the Questioned Documents Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Course materials:

• Forensic Science Essentials: Challenges in Fire Analysis and Document Examination Outline
• Learning Objectives
• About the Panelists
• Forensic Document Examination Presentation, Linton Mohammed, Ph.D., D-ABFDE
• Confronting Inaccuracies in Cases Involving Fire Presentation, John J. Lentini, CFI, D-ABC
• Dugas v. Coplan
• Richey v. Bradshaw
• 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.