Maryland Supreme Court limits gun ballistics evidence in criminal proceedings

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In a 4-3 opinion, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled to end the long-standing practice of calling in firearms experts during criminal proceedings to testify that a particular gun fired a specific bullet.

In a 4-3 opinion, the majority of justices found the scientific methodology, known as firearm"tool mark" analysis, is not reliable enough to allow experts to draw links between a gun fired and a particular bullet.However, the ruling written by Chief Justice Matthew J.

Until the Tuesday decision, it was fairly common for firearms examiners to testify that a gun apprehended by law enforcement fired bullets or casings discovered at a crime scene so long as they believed that to be true based on their findings from forensic analysis. The casings surround the outside of the bullet. Once a trigger is pulled, a firing pin hits the back of the casing, igniting a small explosion that sends the bullet down the barrel, which has a twisted metal within known as the"rifling" that helps spin the projectile for accuracy.

Attorneys on both sides of the appeal cited studies that show an error rate on such examinations between 0% and 50%.

 

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