University of Maryland Carey Law Pioneers Forensic Defense Clinic
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in Baltimore has launched the nation’s first Forensic Defense Clinic designed to equip law students with specialized knowledge in forensic evidence and its role in criminal law.
This clinic, led by forensic expert Maneka Sinha, JD, and former public defender Molly Ryan, with experience in litigating novel firearms comparisons and DNA analyses, is a pioneering effort in forensic criminal legal studies. Its purpose is to prepare students to navigate the complexities of forensic evidence in the legal system.
Faith Kim, a member of the Clinic’s first group of students, described the significance of this Clinic: “Forensic evidence has become an essential part of criminal law,” while noting her enthusiasm for exploring new types of forensic evidence and their impact on the legal system.
The Clinic is set up to provide students with practical, hands-on experience through its collaboration with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (“OPD”), where they will work on real post-conviction cases, such as those impacted by Maryland’s landmark ruling in Abruquah v. State, 296 A.3d 961 (Md. 2023). The Abruquah Court held that an expert witness should not have been permitted to offer an unqualified conclusion that examined bullets were fired from a specific firearm, a pivotal moment in forensic litigation.
In addition to the fieldwork at OPD, students will participate in a seminar, Advanced Evidence: Forensic Science in Criminal Cases, which is intended to deepen their understanding of the legal principles governing forensic evidence. Sinha, a trailblazing scholar in the field of forensic evidence admissibility, will teach the seminar. This dual approach combines theoretical learning with practical application and reflects the Clinic’s goal of critically examining how forensic methods may contribute to inequality and injustice.
The partnership with OPD enhances the Clinic’s mission, with OPD’s chief forensic attorney Jeffrey Gilleran emphasizing the importance of training future lawyers in forensic litigation, given the increasing role of forensic evidence in criminal prosecutions. Gilleran praised the Clinic, stating, “The nature of criminal prosecutions has changed dramatically over the last several years, and most serious criminal cases now involve multiple forensic fields.”
Source: University of Maryland Baltimore News
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