Courts / Dublin / Report

DNA expert questions reliability of software used by forensic lab

Summary

During the Special Criminal Court hearing of Eamonn Cumberton, who is accused of murdering Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub, a defence expert challenged the reliability of the DNA analysis software used by Forensic Science Ireland. The court had previously heard that DNA on a rubber mask from the alleged getaway car was more likely to belong to Cumberton and two unknown individuals than to three unknown individuals. Cumberton, aged 30, pleaded not guilty to the shooting of Barr, who was 35, on 25 April 2016. Bernard Condon SC represented Cumberton and objected to the admissibility of the DNA evidence, leading to a voir dire. Allan Jamieson, a forensic scientist for the defence, testified that the software STRMIX, which calculates likelihood ratios, may be flawed because it "fits the defendant to the evidence" rather than deriving conclusions from the evidence itself.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: DNA expert questions reliability of software used by forensic lab. Charges or matters: the murder of 35-year-old Michael Barr in the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city on April 25th 2016. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• April 25th 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-12-13 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report