Citations

Full opinion text

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER RE: MOTION TO EXCLUDE BALLISTICS TESTIMONY

GERTNER, District Judge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION .106

TT. FACTS .109

A. Examiner Had No Certification by Professional Organization . OS C* rH

B. Premise of the Field: That the Markings on Each Firearm Are Unique . O rH rH

C.. The Examination: Sorting out Class, Subclass, Individual, and Accidental Characteristics with No National Standards. rH rH

D. The Examination: No Notes, No Drawings, No Photographs ... rH rH

E. The Examination: Observer Bias and Lack of Blind Testing .. rH rH

F. The Examiner: No Data on Error Rates. rH rH

G. Computerized Database: The IBIS System. i — I rH

H. Testimony of Defense Expert David Lamagna. rH rH

III. LEGAL FRAMEWORK.117

IV. THE CASE AT BAR. O i — I

A. Reliability and Testing. 05 r-I

B. Error Rates and Proficiency Testing . H r-H

C. Significance of Defense Expert and Availability of Cross-Examination .