Law enforcement officers in Fort Lauderdale literally have a treasure trove of scientific tools and resources at their disposal to assist in the investigation of crimes. General public opinion and popular media may lead many people to simply assume that such tools are infallible and that anyone who comes under criminal scrutiny due to them has to be guilty.
Yet while advances in forensic sciences and investigatory procedures have benefitted authorities, it is important that people remember that they are not foolproof. Thus, the presentation of such evidence deserves as much scrutiny as one would give to any witness testimony or hearsay.
Authorities use algae evidence to justify arrest
This is especially true in cases where investigators employ seemingly unusually or unorthodox scientific methods in their work. Per local CBS News, such recently occurred in the investigation into an attempted kidnapping and rape case in Orange County. Officers arrested a local man for allegedly grabbing a woman and attempting to sexually assault as she returned home from work. The man reportedly came under suspicion after a forensic botanist reviewed samples of algae supposedly found on both the victim’s and the defendant’s clothing. Authorities say that the algae came from a retention pond the perpetrator dragged the woman into during the commission of the crime.
Challenging unproven scientific evidence
The questions that arise from this particular case are not mean to undermine the use of scientific evidence, but rather highlight the need to question such evidence when its application in felony criminal cases may be new or unproven. One facing criminal charges may lack the resources to mount such a challenge on their own. It is for this reason that having an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist them in all matters related to their case may be such a benefit.
