by

Environmental expert witness Dr. Andrew Whelton, Professor at the University of South Alabama, testified for the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System case against Texas oil company Plains Southcap. The oil company has plans to build an interstate oil pipeline under a part of the Big Creek Lake watershed. Mobile, Alabama, circuit court Judge Robert Smith ruled in favor of the Texas oil company which gives the green light for the proposed oil pipeline to be constructed under a lake and reservoir that holds drinking water for a half a million people.

This decision bears scrutiny by environmentalists, as noted by the Mobile Tribune.

by

Wine expert witness Michael Egan testified in the New York fraud case against wine dealer Rudy Kurniawan. Egan, Director of Authenticity and Auctions at the Bordeaux Winebank, said that most of the wines at the home of Kurniawan were fakes and not rare vintages. Previous to this exposure, Kurniawan had been touted as one of a select few fine vintage wine collectors. Now he is facing jail if convicted of fraud. The alleged counterfeiter borrowed money against his collection and now owes a New York bank several million dollars.

At http://www.bordeauxwinebank.com, Mr. Egan explains that the production of “fake bottles of the greatest Bordeaux has increased dramatically these last few years.” Egan spent over 20 years for Sotheby’s in London.

by

Emergency medicine expert witness Dr. Gary Vilke testified in the case against two former Fullerton, CA, police officers in the death of Kelly Thomas. Officers Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli are accused of beating Thomas into a comatose state resulting in his death. Vilke testified for the defense in the death of the homeless man saying that Thomas did not die of asphyxiation as Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas alleges.

Dr. Gary Vilke is a professor of clinical emergency medicine at UC San Diego and Chief of Staff for the UCSD Medical Center.

by

Forensic psychology expert witness Dr. Nathan D. Henry testified in the declination hearing for a 15-year-old Moses Lake, WA, boy accused of shooting his parents. Dr. Henry described the young man’s maturity and possible risk to society. The hearing will determine if the defendant will be tried as an adult or a minor. He told police that his parents had banned him from playing video games. He is charged with two counts of attempted murder.

Declination hearings are extremely important in these types of cases because penalties for serious offenses are significantly higher when the individual is tried in adult court.

by

In I’ve Been Hacked! What Do I Do Now?, computer forensics expert witness Steven G. Burgess, Burgess Consulting and Forensics, writes:

It’s not really possible to be online and be 100% protected from hacking, but there are numerous measures you can take to make it not worth most anyone’s time. They include:

DO make sure that your Android is NOT rooted and that your iPhone is NOT jailbroken.

Continue reading

by

Correctional facilities expert witnesses may consult on the criminal justice system, imprisonment, incarceration, correctional facilities standards of care, and more. Criminal justice expert witness Dr. Richard M. Hough, Sr. testified in the Southern Poverty Law Center class action lawsuit against Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and correctional healthcare contractor Corizon Connections. Hough testified that videos showed appropriate uses of force while the SPLC accuses Judd and Corizon Connections of unconstitutional jail conditions. Dr. Hough is a criminal justice instructor with the University of West Florida.

by

Railroad accident investigation expert witnesses may testify on transportation technology, transportation safety, transportation engineering, and correlated issues. Following the catastrophic accident on the Maine & Atlantic Railway, the Federal Railroad Administration issued an Emergency Order outlining measures railroads are required to undertake within 30 days. The EO is a mandatory directive to the railroad, and failure to comply with its requirements will result in enforcement actions against the railroad or individuals who violate it.

The Federal Railroad Administration had already increased its oversight and enforcement of Metro-North’s rail lines following the May 2013 crash, including additional inspections of its lines and audits of Metro-North’s operations and compliance with federal regulations. FRA is also planning to conduct an extensive investigation of the carrier’s safety compliance with all regulated railroad safety disciplines.

by

Neurotoxicology expert witness Dr. Raymond Singer testified in the Angleton, TX, capital murder case of James Harris Jr. Harris has pled guilty in the stabbing death of two senior citizens. Dr. Singer testified that Harri’s exposure to chemicals in his youth and in his career may have damaged his cognitive capabilities. On his website, Dr. Singer explains that toxic chemicals can damage the nervous system and brain without the individual knowing.

Neurotoxins target the nervous system and disrupt the signaling that allows neurons to communicate effectively. http://www.neurotox.com/index.php

by

Aviation expert witnesses may testify aircraft accident investigation, aircraft design, aviation safety, flight training, and related matters. Today the National Transportation Safety Board released information on the investigation into the Asiana Airlines flight 214 accident on July 6, 2013. The NTSB investigation shows that the pilot inadvertently disabled a speed-control system.

NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman took questions from the media during the investigative hearing. Her briefing may be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1GopE_siVY&feature=youtu.be in which she describes the timeline in the crash.

by

Transportation safety expert witnesses may consult on transportation technology, railroad accident investigation, railroads, and more. On December 6th, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration issued Emergency Order 29 to Metro-North Commuter Railroad following the fatal Metro-North Railroad derailment in the Bronx, NY. to take specific, immediate steps to ensure its train crews do not exceed speed limitations.

EO 29 requires Metro-North to provide the FRA with a list of main track locations where there is a reduction of more than 20 mph in the maximum authorized passenger train speed by December 10, 2013. Further, Metro-North is ordered to identify appropriate modifications to its existing automatic train control system or other signal systems to enable adequate advance warning of and adherence to such speed restrictions. These modifications will help prevent another over-the-speed-limit event if a locomotive engineer fails to take actions to appropriately slow or stop a passenger train.

In the meantime, Metro-North is ordered to operate trains with two qualified train crew members in the controlling locomotive cab or passenger car control compartment at the locations where speed limits change by 20 mph or more until the signal work at these locations is complete. Additionally, the railroad must submit to the FRA for approval an Action Plan that ensures the safety of its operations for passengers and employees by December 31. The plan must contain target dates and milestones for implementing necessary signal system modifications.

Continue reading