Wrongful Convictions Involving Unvalidated or Improper Forensic Science that Were Later Overturned through DNA Testing

The Innocence Project defines unvalidated or improper forensic science as: • the use of forensic disciplines or techniques that have not been tested to establish their validity and reliability; • testimony about forensic evidence that presents inaccurate statistics, gives statements of probability or frequency (whether numerical or non-numerical) in the absence of valid empirical data, interprets non-probative evidence as inculpatory, or concludes/suggests that evidence is uniquely connected to the defendant without empirical data to support such testimony; or • misconduct, either by fabricating inculpatory data or failing to disclose exculpatory data.