News

Actions

Expert witness in Casey Anthony case discredited

Expert witness in Casey Anthony case discredited
Posted at 3:06 PM, Sep 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-01 15:06:00-04

Prominent DNA expert Richard Eikelenboom was barred on Thursday from providing testimony for an upcoming sexual assault case in Denver after a district court in Denver found that Eikelenboom had committed a number of errors and had inadequate training. 

Eikelenboom has previously given expert testimony in a number of prominent cases, including Casey Anthony's murder trial. 

Denver's District Attorney Office got Eikelenboom to admit that, "He had no direct DNA extraction or analysis experience, that he operates a lab that has not been accredited, that he personally failed his basic proficiency tests in 2011 and 2012, and admitted that he was ‘self- trained’ in running DNA profiles," the office said in a statement. 

Anthony was acquitted of murdering her 3-year-old daughter. Eikelenboom gave his opinion on DNA samples found on duct tape attached to the daughter's body. 

Eikelenboom also gave testimony in the murder case involving Timothy Masters. Masters was released in 2008 after serving nearly a decade incarcerated for the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick.