WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
February 21, 2020

The addition of crime labs in Wisconsin and Louisiana brings to 53 the number of forensic laboratories in the United States now using STRmix™ to resolve DNA profiles in criminal investigations.

Developed in New Zealand and Australia, STRmix™ is sophisticated forensic software that can be used to resolve mixed DNA profiles previously thought to be too complex to interpret.

The newest U.S. labs using STRmix™ are the Jefferson County (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office Regional DNA Laboratory, which includes a traditional crime lab, a photo lab, and a DNA lab, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories, part of the recently reorganized Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Forensic Sciences.

The Wisconsin lab provides crime scene response, toxicology, drug identification, DNA analysis, firearms and tool marks analysis, fingerprint and footwear analysis, ten print comparison, photo work, and forensic imaging.

These labs join a national list of forensic labs using STRmix™ that now includes the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). In addition, STRmix™ is currently in various stages of installation, validation, and training in more than 60 other U.S. organizations.

Since its introduction in 2012, STRmix™ has been used to interpret DNA evidence in more than 120,000 cases worldwide. It has also been used successfully in numerous U.S. court cases, including 28 successful admissibility hearings.

John Buckleton DSc, FRSNZ, Forensic Scientist at the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and one of the developers of STRmix™, attributes the increased use of STRmix™ to “its success in producing usable, admissible DNA evidence in a wide range of criminal cases.”

According to Dr. Buckleton, forensic labs using STRmix™ are experiencing a marked increase of interpretable DNA results from guns, other touch evidence, and sexual assault evidence. The software is also proving to be effective in helping to solve cold cases in which evidence originally dismissed as inconclusive has been reprocessed, as well as in supporting exonerations of wrongly convicted individuals through reexamination of inconclusive results in post-conviction cases.

The latest version of STRmix™, STRmix™ v2.7, was introduced in late 2019. STRmix™ v2.7 includes several new features in response to improvements recommended by forensic labs to better address the on-the-job needs they regularly encounter.

DBLR™, an application used with STRmix™, was also introduced last year. DBLR™ allows users to undertake superfast database searches, visualize the value of their DNA mixture evidence, and carry out mixture to mixture matches.

For more information about STRmix™ visit http://www.strmix.com.

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NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (PRWEB)
February 04, 2020

The American Academy of Attorneys is an invitation-only, national organization of elite attorneys actively practicing law. The American Academy of Attorneys is dedicated to the promotion of excellence in the field of law and recognizing those top-tier attorneys who exemplify excellence. Less than 1% of all attorneys will be nominated to be a member of this organization. The membership is comprised of attorneys with exceptional credentials and a dedication to provide justice to their clients.

The TOP 100 designation is reserved for the more seasoned attorneys. These attorneys have well established themselves as the best of the best. There will be only 100 attorneys in each state that will be able to bear this designation.

Kevin Crockett is honored to have received this prestigious award. He is devoted to fighting for individuals who have been harmed due to the wrongdoing of others.

Kevin Crockett limits his practice to personal injury law, with his primary focus on auto accident, motorcycle accident, and pedestrian accident cases. Kevin graduated with a B.A. from the University of California, Irvine and immediately enrolled in law school at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. In addition to this TOP 100 award, Kevin has also been honored as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine. He is particularly proud of this recognition as Rising Stars are nominated and voted on by other attorneys who have personally observed them in action. Only 2.5% of the attorneys in California are listed as Rising Stars.

Kevin Crockett continues to only represent people who are hurt by the negligent and careless acts of others all throughout the state of California, including Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, and more.

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WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
January 30, 2020

STRmix™ – sophisticated forensic software used to resolve mixed DNA profiles previously thought to be too complex to interpret – has achieved ISO9001:2015 Certification for its Quality Management System.

“We are extremely pleased to achieve this international standard, which is recognized in more than 160 countries worldwide,” says STRmix™ Manager Bjorn Sutherland. “This formal certification of our system demonstrates our commitment to quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.”

Sutherland continues, “In addition to the wide array of scientific publication in support of the science underpinning STRmix™, this certification provides STRmix™ users and wider stakeholders with confidence that STRmix™ has an effective quality management system in place and that it works.”

The Telarc ISO9001:2015 certification is confirmation that the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR), developer of STRmix™, operates a quality management system that conforms to ISO9001 for the design, development, sale, and support of the STRmix™ forensic interpretation software, associated training and data analysis services, and ancillary software products. This is in addition to the long-standing accreditation of ESR’s forensic laboratories by ANAB (and previously ASCLD/LAB). Telarc will regularly review the STRmix™ management system for compliance to its standards.

The ISO9001:2015 certification is more good news for STRmix™ following the success of two recent Colorado admissibility decisions. Those decisions bring the number of successful U.S. admissibility hearings regarding STRmix™ to 30. Since its introduction in 2012, STRmix™ has been used to interpret DNA evidence in more than 120,000 cases worldwide, including numerous U.S. cases.

Fifty-three U.S. forensic labs now routinely use STRmix™ to resolve DNA profiles, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and multiple state and local agencies. STRmix™ is also in various stages of installation, validation, and training in more than 60 other U.S. organizations.

“Forensic labs are turning to STRmix™ because it has greatly improved their ability to produce usable DNA evidence in a wide range of criminal cases,” says John Buckleton DSc, FRSNZ, Forensic Scientist at the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) who developed STRmix™ in conjunction with Jo-Anne Bright, also with ESR, and Duncan Taylor from Forensic Science South Australia (FSSA).

According to Dr. Buckleton, FRSNZ, Principal Forensic Scientist at the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and one of the developers of STRmix™, forensic labs using STRmix™ are reporting an increase of interpretable DNA in gun cases alone from about 40% to more than 70%. STRmix™ is also proving to be highly effective in sexual assault cases.

A new version of STRmix™, STRmix™ v2.7, was introduced in September 2019. STRmix™ v2.7 includes several new features in direct response to recommendations for improvements made by forensic labs to better address the on-the-job needs they regularly encounter. DBLR™, an application used with STRmix™, was also introduced earlier this year. DBLR™ allows users to undertake superfast database searches, visualize the value of their DNA mixture evidence, and carry out mixture to mixture matches.

In addition, STRmix™ recently unveiled a new Defense Access Policy which gives defense legal teams even easier access to STRmix™ software. The updated Access Policy includes definitions of the extended items that can be provided under the policy, updated non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and an abbreviated NDA for use in some specific circumstances.

For more information about STRmix™ visit http://www.strmix.com.

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a nonprofit corporation.

Telarc Limited is 100% NZ owned by the Accreditation Council. Telarc are recognized as a Certification /Registration Body by JAS-ANZ (Joint Accreditation System – Australia and New Zealand

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FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (PRWEB)
January 25, 2020

On January 9th, 2020 a Washington County Supreme Court Jury returned a verdict totaling $4,865,000 to the Estate of Elizabeth Gibson (Washington County Supreme Court, Index No. 26874). Elizabeth Gibson was killed on May 26, 2015 when a 2003 Cadillac operated by Defendant Kristina Loomis of Granville, New York and owned by Defendant Melvin Loomis of Granville, New York, traveling on State Route 22, crossed over the double yellow lines into Elizabeth Gibson’s lane striking her. Defendant Kristina Loomis was charged and pled guilty to Driving While Intoxicated with a Blood Alcohol Content of .29. She pled guilty to Vehicular Manslaughter and is presently serving time in prison.

Elizabeth Gibson on May 26, 2015 was coming home from work at the time of the crash. She was employed as a certified care giver at the Warren Washington ARC adult home. Elizabeth suffered at the crash site for about sixty minutes before passing away en route to the Glens Falls Hospital. Elizabeth was 47 years old. She is survived by her husband David Gibson and three adult daughters.

Jury returned a sum of $3,365,000 for compensatory damages to the Estate against the Defendant Kristina Loomis and Defendant Melvin Loomis, as the jury found Melvin Loomis gave permissive use to Kristina Loomis for driving his 2003 Cadillac. The jury also returned a sum of $1,500,000.00 in punitive damages against Defendant Kristina Loomis. The $1,500,000 in punitive damages awarded by the jury sent a message discouraging the defendant and other people of the community, from driving while intoxicated in the future (Washington County Supreme Court, Index No. 26874).

The Estate of Elizabeth Gibson was represented by Attorneys Victor L. Mazzotti and Philip S. Mazzotti from the law firm of Martin, Harding and Mazzotti, LLP.

The Defendant Kristina Loomis was represented by attorney Todd Bushway from the Buffalo law firm of Hurwitz and Fine, P.C.

The Defendant Melvin C. Loomis was represented by attorney Judith Aumand and Jeffrey Hurd from the law firm of Burke, Scolamiero & Hurd, LLP.

The case was tried before the Honorable Glen T. Bruening.

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PHILADELPHIA (PRWEB)
January 22, 2020

What began as a representation to secure a new sentence swelled into a full-blown effort to exonerate a wrongfully-convicted incarcerated man. Theophalis Wilson tasted freedom on Tuesday, Jan. 21 after 28 years behind bars. This fresh start was made possible by hundreds of hours of pro bono legal work by Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas vacated Wilson’s 1993 triple homicide conviction after the defense team uncovered instances of prosecutorial misconduct, false witness testimony, ineffective assistance of counsel, and Brady violations. Judge Tracy Brandeis-Roman vacated the conviction, dismissed all charges, and ordered Wilson’s immediate release.

“We had an incredible day, unlike any I’ve ever experienced as a lawyer,” said Shareholder Brian T. Feeney, a litigator based in the Philadelphia office of the global law firm. “The Assistant District Attorney got choked up when she described the conviction as a gross miscarriage of justice. Judge Brandeis-Roman was emphatic as she rattled off the reasons why Theo should be exonerated. The people who love him and have been supporting him for all these years were gasping as the judge read her ruling from the bench. And then the judge said to Theo, ‘You are free go.’”

Greenberg Traurig took the case in 2017 initially to pursue resentencing for Wilson, whose sentence of life without parole was rendered unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Miller v. Alabama decision, in which the Court ruled it unconstitutional to sentence minors to mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole. Wilson was 17 years old when the crimes were committed.

“We were pretty discouraged for the first year and a half of representation. We were getting nowhere with our request for resentencing, since we were told Theo had to give up his innocence claims before pursuing his Miller (resentencing) claims,” said Labor & Employment Shareholder Kelly Dobbs Bunting, also of Greenberg Traurig’s Philadelphia office and a co-lead for Wilson’s defense. “And of course, Theo didn’t want to do that. I admire his tenacity in the face of what seemed at times to be overwhelming odds.”

After persuading the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office’s Conviction Integrity Unit to review the case, the Greenberg Traurig team partnered with the nonprofit public interest law firm Phillips Black in late 2018. Together, the defense team scoured the Commonwealth’s entire 42,000-page file. They uncovered and presented evidence to persuade the district attorney’s office and Brandeis-Roman that Wilson’s conviction could not stand.

“An innocent man was robbed of nearly 30 years of his life, the chance to have a career, and a family as a result of a complete breakdown of the justice system,” said Jennifer Merrigan, of Phillips Black. “Today Theo Wilson has a new opportunity and we are so grateful to have worked with the tenacious team at Greenberg Traurig to help that become a reality. As a nonprofit, we rely on committed pro bono lawyers and staff at firms like Greenberg Traurig so we can fight injustice, as was the case here with Theo.”

Beyond Bunting and Feeney, a team of lawyers and business staff from across Greenberg Traurig supported this victory. That roster includes Associates Kathleen M. Kline (PHL-Environmental), Adam Roseman (PHL-Labor & Employment), Christiana L. Signs (PHL-Labor & Employment), Gareth R. Hall (LON-Litigation), Robert Hill (PHX-Litigation), Alicia R. Intriago (SAC-Litigation), Charles Shin (NY-Litigation), Margaret K. Ukwu (NY-IP/Tech), Michael R. Hogue (SFO-Litigation), Addiped Cheng (LON-Litigation); Robert W. Rubenstein, a Philadelphia-based Labor & Employment practice group attorney; Stephen J. Stanley, a Philadelphia-based paralegal for the Litigation practice and second-year law student at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law; and Barbara Pinto, a Philadelphia office administrative assistant working with Feeney and Bunting.

“As legal practitioners, there is no greater satisfaction than using your skills to change someone’s life. But to be able to help restore someone’s freedom after so much of it was lost behind bars brings a whole different level of professional and personal elation,” said Curtis B. Toll, managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Philadelphia office. “We are incredibly proud of our team, both the lawyers and staff in the Philadelphia office, and our colleagues across the firm who worked collaboratively to make this victory possible.”

“The Wilson matter is demonstrative of Greenberg Traurig’s ongoing commitment to a legal footprint that includes robust offerings tailored specifically to underserved individuals and communities,” said Shareholder Caroline J. Heller, Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Pro Bono program. “The chance to remedy to great injustice is, fundamentally, why we become lawyers. And on this day, our colleagues exemplified advocacy at its finest.”

About Greenberg Traurig Philadelphia: Founded in 1997, Greenberg Traurig’s Philadelphia office is home to some 50 attorneys whose practices include Real Estate, Public Finance, Litigation, Labor & Employment, Environmental, Government Law & Policy, Restructuring & Bankruptcy, White Collar Defense & Special Investigations, Corporate & Securities, Intellectual Property, Immigration & Compliance, Investment Regulation, and Tax. The Philadelphia office represents clients in the manufacturing, health care, real estate, energy, financial, and insurance industries, state and local governments, professional service, and energy firms and individuals.

About Greenberg Traurig’s Pro Bono Program: Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firm provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing, and homelessness.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2,100 attorneys in 41 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.