Courtroom Testimony for the Fingerprint Expert

Second Edition

eBook Version

by Gary W. Jones
ISBN 978-1-933373-03-4
Published 2007

Courtroom Testimony for the Fingerprint Expert was written by retired FBI Supervisory Fingerprint Specialist Gary W. Jones. This 114 page 5½" by 8½" book is a valuable text in preparing to testify as an expert witness in court. You will refer to this text over and over to become more effective as an expert witness.

You may purchase this book as a printed book at Amazon.com

 Contents Include

CHAPTER 1 — Preparation

• Notes
  
• Anticipating Questions
  
• Research
  
• The Pre-Trial Conference Qualifying Questions
  
• Direct Testimony
  
• The Deposition
  

CHAPTER 2 — Dress and Appearance

• Male Expert
  
• Female Expert
  
• Uniforms
  
• Distractions in Personal Appearance
  

CHAPTER 3 — Courtroom Demeanor

• The Witness Room
  
• The Courtroom
  
• Prior to Testifying
  
• Prior to Entering the Courtroom
  
• Taking the Oath
  
• Presenting Testimony
  
• Demonstrating Charted Enlargements
  
• Courtesy
  
• The Five Basic Rules of Testimony
  

CHAPTER 4 — Defense Tactics

• Tactics and Questioning

CHAPTER 5 — Fingerprints — A True Science?

CHAPTER 6 — The Fingerprint Expert's Credentials

• Certification
  
• Resume and Curriculum Vitae
  

CHAPTER 7 — Cross-Examination

• Age of a latent
  
• Number of Fingerprint Characteristics Needed to Effect an Identification
  
• IAI Certification
  
• Court Exhibits
  
• What is an Expert
  
• Mistakes of Infallibility
  
• Negative Testimony
  
• Processing for Latent Prints
  
• Lines of Questioning
  

CHAPTER 8 — Defense Attorneys, Prosecutors, Juries, Judges and Reporters

• Defense Attorneys
  
• Prosecutors
  
• Juries
  
• Judges
  
• Reporters
  
• Private Fingerprint Consultants
  

CHAPTER 9 — Mock Trials

• Preparation
  
• The Courtroom
  
• The Trainee/Expert Witness
  
• The Prosecutor
  
• The Judge
  
• The Jury
  
• The Defense Attorney
  
• Critiques and Evaluations
  

A Personal Note

Glossary of Fingerprint Terms

References

About the Author

 Gary Jones began his career in fingerprint work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1964. At the time of his retirement in 1997 he was a Supervisory Fingerprint Specialist in the Latent Fingerprint Section. During his retirement he operated a private fingerprint consulting business, "Gary W. Jones Fingerprint Services," in Summerfield, Florida.

On numerous occasions Mr. Jones presented fingerprint testimony in federal, state and local courts throughout the United States and was accepted as an expert in each instance. He instructed federal, state and local law enforcement personnel throughout the United States in all aspects of fingerprint science, including the presentation of expert courtroom testimony.

Gary Jones wrote articles relating to fingerprint science and was published in the International Association for Identification's (IAI) publication The Journal of Forensic Identification. He was also the co-author of the FBI's Latent Fingerprint Training Manual. Mr. Jones was a member of the IAI, the Florida Division of the IAI, and served on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Division of the IAI.

A Comment From the Author

The criminal trial is the final phase in an often long road of hard work by many individuals. What a waste when after all the hours of investigation, laboratory examinations, surveillance, dangerous undercover work, gathering witnesses, pre-trial conferences, legal research, etc., it all ends in disaster because an expert failed on the witness stand. When presenting testimony, it is not enough to tell the truth; the expert must also make the truth appear to be the truth. Effective courtroom testimony involves knowledge, experience, training, preparation, demeanor, and appearance. This book will attempt to address some methods and techniques that will aid the fingerprint expert in presenting the most convincing testimony possible.