Left and the Law: fighting junk science in court

Jan Haaken and Mike Snedecker bring another installment of the Left and the Law. Today they focus on legislation in Texas that allows innocent people to get their convictions overturned. In particular, drawing on a case of purported child-abuse, it allows defendants to challenge junk science pushed by experts with new research. For example, much research has not been done on the inner anatomy of young girls' vaginas, and new research suggests that the hitherto unappreciated variability of some of these features (e.g. the hymen) can be mistakenly attributed to abuse. Mike explains how in cases of abuse or murder, where closure is a priority for plantiffs, junk science that condemns a defendant can unreasonably carry a court decision. They wrap up talking about the National Center for Reason and Justice, of which Mike Snedecker is the President.