CSI Courtroom Testimony and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a defense attorney asks a CSI a question that assumes facts not in evidence, the CSI should:
- Answer based on the assumed facts
- Correct the false assumption before answering (Correct answer)
- Refuse to answer entirely
- Ask the judge for a recess
Correct answer: Correct the false assumption before answering
A CSI must not allow misleading premises to stand; correcting the assumption preserves accuracy and credibility.
Question 2: A CSI discovers mid-trial that a piece of evidence was mislabeled in the chain of custody. The ethical obligation is to:
- Say nothing to avoid damaging the case
- Notify the prosecutor so the error can be disclosed (Correct answer)
- Alter records to match current labels
- Blame the evidence technician
Correct answer: Notify the prosecutor so the error can be disclosed
Ethical standards require prompt disclosure of chain-of-custody errors regardless of which side it may help or hurt.
Question 3: The term 'scope of expertise' in expert testimony means a CSI should:
- Testify on any topic requested by the attorney
- Only offer opinions within their trained specialization (Correct answer)
- Expand testimony to fill gaps in the prosecution's case
- Defer all opinions to the lead detective
Correct answer: Only offer opinions within their trained specialization
Courts require experts to limit opinions to areas where they have documented training and experience.
Question 4: If a CSI is asked during cross-examination 'Isn't it possible that someone else left that fingerprint?' the most appropriate response is:
- 'No, it is impossible.'
- 'That is not relevant to my analysis.'
- 'I can only state what the evidence shows, not speculate on all possibilities.' (Correct answer)
- 'Yes, anyone could have left it.'
Correct answer: 'I can only state what the evidence shows, not speculate on all possibilities.'
A CSI should report findings without overstating certainty or speculating beyond the evidence.
Question 5: Which behavior constitutes 'dry-labbing' in forensic science?
- Conducting analysis in a humidity-controlled environment
- Reporting results without actually performing the analysis (Correct answer)
- Using dried chemical reagents past their expiration
- Peer-reviewing another examiner's raw data
Correct answer: Reporting results without actually performing the analysis
Dry-labbing—fabricating or skipping analysis while recording results—is a serious ethical violation that has led to wrongful convictions.
Question 6: A CSI receives a phone call from a victim's family member asking about case findings before trial. The CSI should:
- Share findings since the family is not the defendant
- Decline and direct them to the prosecutor's office (Correct answer)
- Provide a summary to maintain public trust
- Share only findings that are already public record
Correct answer: Decline and direct them to the prosecutor's office
Disclosing case information outside official channels violates confidentiality protocols and can compromise the trial.
Question 7: Under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment, a defendant has the right to:
- Review all crime scene photographs before trial
- Cross-examine the analyst who performed forensic testing (Correct answer)
- Demand that all CSI testimony be submitted in writing
- Exclude expert witnesses from the courtroom during other testimony
Correct answer: Cross-examine the analyst who performed forensic testing
The Supreme Court's ruling in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts held that forensic analysts must be available for cross-examination.
CSI Courtroom Testimony and Ethics 2
When a defense attorney asks a CSI a question that assumes facts not in evidence, the CSI should: