Panel Finds Flaws in FBI Bullet Analysis

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031121/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/fbi_lab_bullets_6

Panel Finds Flaws in FBI Bullet Analysis
Fri Nov 21, 6:02 PM ET

By JOHN SOLOMON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The National Academy of Sciences (news - web sites) has concluded that a technique the FBI (news - web sites) has used for decades to match bullets to crimes is flawed, a position that could hand defense lawyers a new avenue of attack against the world's most famous crime lab.

The academy's study, to be released early next month, makes about a half-dozen recommendations for changing the way the FBI matches bullets by their lead content and strongly urges bureau experts to more precisely describe the significance of their findings in court.

The findings, which are in final draft form, were described to The Associated Press by several people involved in the study. They would speak only on condition of anonymity.

The study's publication next month could open the door to hundreds, even thousands of appeals, and give defense lawyers in future cases new ammunition for undermining expert testimony.