by

The last expert witnesses are giving evidence at the investigation into the fatal Black Hawk helicopter crash off Fiji in November 2006. Helicopter expert witnesses have focused on the problem of rotor droop, a loss of power to the rotor blade. Officers have stated it happens when the aircraft is mishandled while others propose that it is a characteristic of the Black Hawk that had not been formerly reported. Abc.net.au also writes:

Captain Mark Bingley was performing a demanding assault-style landing when rotor droop developed and Black Hawk 221 hit the deck of the HMAS Kanimbla on November 29. Capt Bingley and SAS trooper Joshua Porter were killed in the ensuing crash. Experts have confirmed pilots are under pressure to perform risky manouevres when carrying SAS troops and there are significant gaps in training for the aircraft.

by

Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Market Inc. are disputing the Federal Trade Commission’s plan to stop their merger. Both sides hope to discredit the other’s expert witnesses regarding the $565M merger. Two antitrust expert witnesses testified as to whether the merger would illegally dominate the premium natural- and organic-foods market. Marketwatch.com also writes:

Judge Paul L. Friedman must decide whether to accept the government’s argument that the two companies primarily compete in a narrow market that is distinctly separate from the broader U.S. grocery marketplace. He primarily listened to the questioning, offering few comments that might suggest how he could rule. But the judge did indicate he is searching for the appropriate definition of the marketplace in which Whole Foods and Wild Oats compete. During questioning from FTC attorneys, David Scheffman, an antitrust consultant who testified for the grocery companies, told the court those premium natural-foods stores don’t just compete with each other, as argued by the FTC, but are part of the broader supermarket industry.

by

Luzerne County, PA First Assistant District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll is using animation as evidence in the murder trial of Jeff Dennis. “We bring to life their testimony,” said Andre Stuart, forensic evidence expert witness and head of the company handling the prosecution’s animation. Determination on whether animation can be used in a trial depends on the evidence discovered. The prosecution will argue that the animation supports expert witness analysis of the evidence. TimesLeader.com also writes:

“You can’t just have someone tell a story. It’s gotta have a basis to it,” Musto Carroll said. “It’s a very technical process that they go through … to make sure the experts can say, ‘Yes, this is in compliance with the expert report.'” Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola said the animation isn’t “like a motion picture.” It’s more of an animation of still photos and sketches to show where the suspect was standing, the position of the victim, the distance between the two, and the angle in which the bullet struck the victim.

by

Members of the Texas state dental board can no longer act as expert witnesses for other dentists facing malpractice lawsuits without first getting permission from others on the board. Earlier this year, several former board members said they saw no ethical problems with being paid as dentistry expert witnesses for dentists facing lawsuits. One board member did admit that his testimony most likely received more weight in court because of his position on the board. According to Statesman.com:

A similar provision covers the Texas Medical Board, which licenses doctors, physician assistants and others. Members of that board also have worked as experts for doctors facing lawsuits…. Gary McDonald of Kingwood, the dental board’s presiding officer, said he supports the legislation, adding that for nearly a year the board has had an internal agreement to avoid doing expert witness work.

by

Expert witness James Earl Edmiston was sentenced Friday to one year and nine months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two perjury counts. Edmiston used a phony résumé to portray himself as a computer forensics expert witness. He listed degrees from Cal Tech and UCLA which were not offered by the universities. The Fresno Bee also writes:

He had been qualified as an expert witness in computers and had submitted documents and offered testimony in court, including Tulare County Superior Court and the Fresno County Superior Court branch in Clovis….Authorities, however, say that based on information they now have, no convictions have been jeopardized by Edmiston’s actions. Mostly, attorneys say, new computer forensics experts had to be hired, leading to delays.

by

The arrest and suicide of Seattle psychologist Stuart Greenberg could result in challenges to his recommendations and the resulting decisions handed down in past sexual-abuse and child-custody cases. Greenberg, a nationally recognized expert witness in sexual-abuse cases, also consulted for the Archdiocese of Seattle in their priest-abuse cases. Greenberg was arrested and then suspended from practice after he allegedly videotaped a woman in his office bathroom. The psychology expert witness frequently served as a parenting evaluator in child-custody cases. SeatteTimes.com also reports:

King County Presiding Judge Michael Trickey said the courts – and families going through custody battles – will have to contend with a number of difficult issues in the wake of Greenberg’s arrest and subsequent death. He anticipates a flurry of challenges by parties who were unhappy with past evaluations involving Greenberg.

by

Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira filed a motion Wednesday seeking to prevent Joseph Ventura’s attorney from using three expert witnesses in support of his client’s self-defense argument. Ventura is charged with the fatal stabbing of Penn State student Michael Donahue, 22. Ventura contends he acted in self-defense in the Feb. 19, 2006 altercation at Club Love. The defense is relying on three expert witnesses: toxicology expert witness Dr. Richard Saferstein, psychology expert witness Dr. Stanley E. Schneider, and pathology expert witness Dr. Jonathan L. Arden. Madeira argued in a motion Wednesday that none of these witnesses are relevant and is asking Centre County Judge Thomas King Kistler to exclude their testimony at trial, scheduled for Aug. 8-10 reports CentreDaily.com.

by

Expert witness Dr. Matthew Levitt, director of the Washington Institute’s Stein Program on Terrorism, Intelligence, and Policy, continued his testimony Wednesday in the case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development. HLF is charged with channeling material support to HAMAS, the Palestinian terrorist group. Five HLF officials are on trial in Dallas while two others live abroad and are considered fugitives. Levitt, the prosecution’s terrorism expert witness, testified as a HAMAS expert about the group’s methods of recruitment and their violent attacks.

Counterterrorismblog.com also reports:

Levitt also spent considerable time discussing the charitable Zakat Committees. He called them “HAMAS’ most effective tool… they build grassroots support for the organization…(and) provide a logistical support mechanism to the terrorism wing by providing day jobs to HAMAS terrorists…Hamas seeks to establish an Islamic Palestinian state in all of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank,” he said. Levitt has testified in other criminal trials in the United States including US v Marzook et al in Chicago and US v Al-Arian et al in Tampa.

Continue reading

by

Bozeman Police Chief Mark Tymrak was called as an expert witness Monday in a trial to determine whether the department’s leaders retaliated against Officer Steve Feuerstein when he complained about mishandled drugs. Feuerstein’s lawsuit also claims the city violated state employment laws by failing to properly supervise him and provide him with a safe workplace. Law enforcement and police procedures expert witness Tymrak said he believes Feuerstein did not like the outcome of his complaint about mishandled drugs in the K-9 unit. Tymrak could find no evidence to support Feuerstein’s claim that he was not properly supervised. BillingsGazette.com reports:

Feuerstein filed a lawsuit in March 2006 alleging officials in the Police Department violated his state and federal civil rights by retaliating against him…. Feuerstein alleges command officers denied him special assignments and duties after he reported fellow K-9 officers Brian Korell and Dave Punt gave illegal drugs to a civilian dog trainer. Feuerstein claims he was then ostracized by some officers who refused to respond to calls as backup to Feuerstein. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the city.

by

The jury was selected Friday in the case against the Holy Land Foundation charity and some of its organizers. Holy Land is accused of raising millions of dollars for the terrorist group Hamas. The trial will include at least three months of testimony and a decade of secret wiretap evidence gathered on the foundation. One of the government’s expert witnesses is Matthew Levitt, author of Hamas: Politics, Charity and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad.

Prosecutors expect the terrorist expert witness will help convince the jury that Holy Land and its organizers raised money throughout the U.S. and sent it to Palestinian charity committees, who spent it on humanitarian aid. As reported in DallasNews.com:

The government says those Palestinian committees were controlled by Hamas, which the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization in 1995. Supporting any designated terrorist group is illegal.