Experts on Trial 

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Experts on Trial: 2. Hair Disaster

2. Hair Disaster

BBC Radio 4 - Experts on Trial, 2. Hair Disaster

One of the FBI’s microscopic hair analysis experts gets it very wrong. And he's not alone.

One of the FBI’s microscopic hair analysis experts gets it very wrong. And he's not alone. An FBI review tries to identify where it all went wrong.

Can we keep flawed expert testimony from entering courtrooms? Author and criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw lays bare the secret world of expert witnesses. An expert on the reliability of memory, she has submitted evidence in more than 50 trials in the UK, US, and Canada. In this series, she dives into five seminal legal cases where the outcome hinged on a crucial piece of expert evidence.  

In this episode, Julia tells the story of George Perrot who was only a teenager when the police suspected him of aggravated rape, burglary and assault against two elderly women. The only piece of evidence tying him to the crime was a strand of hair. In court, FBI expert Wayne Oakes said he was confident the hair matched Perrot’s. But could he be sure? 

Dr Julia Shaw speaks with forensic scientist Jo Millington about the reliability of hair analysis, how difficult it is to convey probabilities and statistics in legal settings, and what we can do to keep badly flawed expertise out of courtrooms.

Presenter: Dr Julia Shaw
Produceer: Simona Rata

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2. Hair Disaster

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