September 16, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Houston Forensic Science Center and the University of St. Thomas are co-hosting
on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, a forensic science symposium featuring Peter Neufeld, codirector of the Innocence Project and John Raley, an attorney who represented Michael
Morton who had been wrongfully convicted of murder. Prosecutors, judges and a
statistician will also speak at the event.
The event, titled “When the Gavel Falls … The Limitations of Forensic Science,” will be
divided into two portions. In the morning, the speakers will each present on a topic
related to this issue. The afternoon will be devoted to a panel session moderated by Dr.
Peter Stout, HFSC’s COO and vice president. The panelists will address current issues
in forensics and the law. Pawel Rybicki, of the European Forensic Initiatives Centre, will
be the lunchtime keynote speaker and will address Poland’s shift from an inquisitorial
to an adversarial justice system.
The day-long symposium addresses issues that are pertinent to forensics at the current
time, and will continue to impact how these sciences affect the justice system. HFSC
strives to be at the forefront of these topics and to ensure that the changes in science and
technology are addressed as they impact the justice system.
HFSC is an independent, nonprofit, local government corporation created by the City of
Houston to manage and oversee forensic services. HFSC took over management in
April 2014 of what had previously been the Houston Police Department’s Crime
Laboratory, Crime Scene Unit and parts of its Identification Division. HFSC currently
operates in eight disciplines and is expanding.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Ramit Plushnick-Masti
Public Information Officer
media@houstonforensicscience.org
713-929-6768
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