#forensic-linguistics

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fromNature
16 hours ago

How DNA forensics is transforming studies of ancient manuscripts

"It had its own biography, its own deep history. It seemed like an archaeological site between covers," recalls Stinson, who is now a medievalist at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
History
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
18 hours ago

Dissociation: Imagination and Error in Criminal Justice

Dissociation is a normal psychological process that aids creativity but can also lead to erroneous beliefs and interpretations in various fields.
Careers
fromSecuritymagazine
5 days ago

Beyond the Certificate: Why Real Expertise in Investigative Interviewing Comes from Practice

Training and certifications signal competence, but true effectiveness in investigative interviewing requires disciplined application and real-world experience.
SOMA, SF
fromSan Jose Inside
6 days ago

DA Hires Stanford Grad to Run County Crime Lab

Sandra Burnham Sachs is the new chief of the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Lab, succeeding Dr. Ian Fitch.
Law
fromPoynter
6 days ago

Like journalists, prosecutors shaped a distorted view of crime. They can help fix it, too. - Poynter

Prosecutors and journalists both contribute to misleading public perceptions of crime, but prosecutors possess crucial data to tell a more accurate story.
#murder-investigation
fromIndependent
1 week ago
UK news

From nerd to cold killer: colleague of murderer Stephen McCullagh reveals chilling transformation of monster he thought he knew

SOMA, SF
fromNew York Post
3 weeks ago

Husband, 75, busted after dismembered remains of his much-younger wife found scattered in NYC: cops

A 75-year-old Queens man was arrested for murdering his 34-year-old wife whose dismembered remains were discovered across the borough months apart.
UK news
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Woman's death in home prompts murder investigation

A 71-year-old woman died from significant injuries at a Hounslow home; murder investigation launched with no arrests made.
fromIndependent
1 week ago
UK news

From nerd to cold killer: colleague of murderer Stephen McCullagh reveals chilling transformation of monster he thought he knew

SOMA, SF
fromNew York Post
3 weeks ago

Husband, 75, busted after dismembered remains of his much-younger wife found scattered in NYC: cops

A 75-year-old Queens man was arrested for murdering his 34-year-old wife whose dismembered remains were discovered across the borough months apart.
UK news
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Woman's death in home prompts murder investigation

A 71-year-old woman died from significant injuries at a Hounslow home; murder investigation launched with no arrests made.
fromwww.bbc.com
1 week ago

Man denies murdering two women and raping another

Simon Levy, 40, from Tottenham, appeared via video link at the Old Bailey to enter his pleas. He pleaded not guilty to murdering two women in separate incidents last year.
London politics
Podcast
fromABC7 Los Angeles
1 week ago

ABC takes true crime storytelling to new levels with 'Betrayal: Secrets and Lies'

The series 'Betrayal: Secrets and Lies' showcases true stories of deception, including paternity fraud and domestic abuse.
Python
fromAntocuni
1 week ago

Inside SPy, part 2: Language semantics

SPy aims to enhance Python's performance while integrating static typing, balancing between an interpreter and a compiler.
Law
fromBoston.com
6 days ago

Judge denies Lindsay Clancy's request for two-part murder trial

Lindsay Clancy will stand trial in July for allegedly killing her three children, with an insanity defense based on postpartum mental illness.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

US quadruple amputee cornhole champion arrested on suspicion of murder

Webber was driving his car with Wells as his front-seat passenger at about 10.25pm on Sunday when the pair began arguing in front of others who were in the vehicle.
Miami Marlins
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
2 weeks ago

Can you solve these language puzzles? Test your skills with these problems from North America's biggest linguistics competition

Computational linguistics is a two-way street: You're either using a computer to do things with human language or communicate or translate or teach a foreign language, or you're using computational techniques to learn something about human languages. Her work documenting and preserving endangered languages uses a little bit of both.
Education
Philosophy
fromApaonline
2 weeks ago

Distracting Metaphors

Metaphors can illuminate or obscure understanding, but some, like Holocaust comparisons, can provoke discomfort and controversy.
Law
fromArs Technica
1 week ago

Judge irate as defendant joins by Zoom while driving-then lies about it

Carroll admitted to lying about driving during a court hearing, leading to a default judgment against her.
London politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

Dog digs up possible link to notorious 19th-century Devon murder case

A dog in Devon unearthed a bottle linked to a Victorian murder case involving Mary Ann Ashford, who was convicted of poisoning her husband.
Privacy professionals
fromJezebel
3 weeks ago

The Dumbest Criminals Keep Asking AI How to Get Away with Murder

ChatGPT provided advice to an accused murderer on handling a dead body instead of contacting police, raising serious concerns about AI safety and misuse.
Miami Marlins
fromLI Press
2 weeks ago

Suspected Gilgo Beach killer unable to appear in court, as judge sets date for rulings

Rex Heuermann, the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer, missed his court appearance due to health issues, with the judge rescheduling the hearing to April 8.
Psychology
fromHarvard Business Review
3 weeks ago

Research: How the "Accent Penalty" Determines Who Gets Heard

A speaker's accent significantly influences idea reception in organizations, often overriding merit-based evaluation despite assumptions that good ideas rise objectively.
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
4 weeks ago

AI techniques speed up forensic analysis of crucial crime scene larvae

A maggot's age and species can give essential information to forensic entomologists investigating murders. Combing through these fly larvae, investigators can potentially learn when and where a crime happened, whether the body has been moved or whether toxins were involved. For example, blowflies are among the earliest insect colonizers of corpses; they typically sniff out and lay eggs on a dead body within minutes to hours.
Roam Research
fromLos Angeles Times
3 weeks ago

ChatGPT is evidence in murder trial of ex-NFL, Ohio State star Darron Lee: 'What do I do?'

Don't know what to do right now. Fiancee did her crazy thing again, and now she's messed up, I wake up and she has two swollen eyes (i didn't do anything, self inflicted). She stabbed herself, slit her eye? Idk but she isn't waking up or responding, what do I do?
US news
Law
fromAbove the Law
2 weeks ago

AI Didn't Replace Legal Judgment. It Exposed How Little We Teach It. - Above the Law

AI is not replacing legal judgment; it reveals gaps in how judgment is taught in legal education.
Philosophy
fromAbove the Law
2 weeks ago

You Can't Salvage A Bad Judge By Calling Them Postmodern - Above the Law

Postmodern analysis offers useful concepts for understanding contemporary disenchantment with traditional meaning systems, exemplified by judicial figures like Lawrence VanDyke who adopt unconventional approaches to legal writing.
Women
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

Psychology says the true crime audience is overwhelmingly women not because women are morbid but because women are the primary targets of the crimes being described - and learning the patterns isn't entertainment, it's threat intelligence dressed up as a podcast - Silicon Canals

Women's high consumption of true crime content represents threat assessment and safety education rather than morbid entertainment preference.
fromFuturism
2 weeks ago

Man Caught Using Smart Glasses to Get Advice While Being Cross-Examined in Court

"In my judgment, the smart glasses were clearly connected to his mobile phone during his cross examination because no voice was heard out loud until his smart glasses were removed and disconnected from his glasses."
Law
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago

'Survivor' host Jeff Probst spends his downtime watching real-life police interrogation videos

If I have 15 minutes, my go-to is going to be a police interrogation, almost always. You are watching a human walk into a room wondering, how much do these detectives know? What they don't know is in most cases, the detective knows a lot more than you think, but they want to see what you're willing to share.
Television
Psychology
fromBusiness Insider
3 weeks ago

The 10-second trick to spot a liar, according to a psychopathy researcher

Open-ended and unexpected questions make it harder for people with dark personality traits to lie convincingly.
Law
fromGothamist
2 weeks ago

NY prosecutor who hid evidence is eying a return to law. Professors want him disbarred.

Prosecutor Glenn Kurtzrock's misconduct led to his resignation, wrongful imprisonment, and ongoing efforts to block his return to practicing law.
#legal-communication
Law
fromAbove the Law
2 weeks ago

Say It So People Hear It - Above the Law

Effective legal communication requires controlling tone, pace, and presence across different audiences while maintaining truthfulness and clarity.
Privacy professionals
fromTheregister
1 month ago

Turns out most cybercriminals are old enough to know better

Middle-aged adults aged 35-44 comprise 37% of cybercrime arrests, with 25-44 year-olds accounting for nearly 60% of cases, contradicting the teenage hacker stereotype.
fromAbove the Law
1 month ago

Discovery As Truth-Seeking: Win Hard Without Playing Hide-The-Ball - Above the Law

Effective discovery requires more than compliance - it requires strategy. Litigators can balance expansive discovery rights and privacy concerns without slowing cases down through practical, results-focused approaches that consider proportionality, electronically stored information management, and the specific discovery rules applicable to their jurisdiction.
Intellectual property law
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

Psychology says people who instinctively soften their language in emails and texts are not being polite. They are running a real-time calculation about how much honesty the relationship can survive. - Silicon Canals

Softened language in communication reflects a calculated assessment of relationship capacity to handle directness, not mere politeness, functioning as a survival mechanism to protect relational dynamics.
US politics
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

The Betrayal of a Friend's False Testimony

A man who gave false testimony as a teenager, coerced by police, now seeks redemption while three wrongfully imprisoned friends fight to overturn their convictions decades later.
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Drive-by murder accused was not at scene, jury told

Michelle Sadio, 44, died at the scene and two others were injured when shots were fired from a passing Kia as a crowd of mourners stood outside the River of Life Pentecostal Church following a wake in December 2024. On Monday, Tahjin Sommersall,19, told the court he had never even seen the car used in the shooting and had been in Wembley when the attack happened.
Miscellaneous
fromAbove the Law
3 weeks ago

Lawyer Convicted Of Systematic Sexual Abuse Of Children - Above the Law

Bishop was found guilty on 24 counts of committing lewd acts on three minor victims, all described in court documents as victims under the age of 14. The span of these offenses covers multiple years. Evidence admitted at trial showed that Bishop possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material depicting two of the minor victims.
Law
US news
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

The Betrayal of a Friend's False Testimony

A teenager's coerced confession during police interrogation led to three friends being imprisoned for murder, creating lifelong guilt he attempts to address through legal proceedings decades later.
#murder-trial
fromAbove the Law
1 month ago

The New Way Litigators Handle Depositions Applies AI Every Step Of The Way - Above the Law

It's a deposition in a box. From the time that you agree on a date and time of the deposition to all the way past trial, these deposition tools take care of you. Filevine Depositions builds on the functionality of the Filevine platform, which means scheduling, transcripts, summaries and analysis happen in a space that's integrated with where the rest of the case data already sits.
Law
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Are There Linguistic Conspiracy Theories?

The term "conspiracy theory" calls to mind a variety of dubious claims and controversies, like rumors about Area 51, claims that the Earth is flat, and the movement known as QAnon. At first blush, these phenomena would seem to have little in common with bogus word origins. But there are a variety of false etymologies that spread virally and refuse to go away, in much the same way that stories about chemtrails, black helicopters, and UFOs refuse to die.
Writing
Law
fromAbove the Law
1 month ago

This Is Why Criminal Justice Needs Number Nerds - Above the Law

Data-driven evidence, not ideology, should guide criminal justice reform through incentive-based systems and rigorous testing of policies.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

The Value of True Crime

Evolutionary psychology explains true crime fascination as a survival mechanism for identifying threats, yet successful predators still evade detection through deception and social bonding.
fromSFGATE
2 months ago

Body found halfway across country ties back to horrific Calif. criminal

Ronald Joseph Cole was a 19-year-old with a shy smile and a buzz cut in 1965, the year he moved from San Diego to Fillmore, a town about 25 miles from Santa Clarita. He was just starting out in life and, hoping to find a job, moved in with his older half-brother David LaFever. By May 1965, Cole had stopped contacting relatives. He had disappeared.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Amateur YouTube detectives' constant streams put cases in jeopardy: It's clickbait'

On the 10th day of the search for Nancy Guthrie, reporters camped outside of the missing woman's home noticed a strange man strut right up to the front door. It had been more than a week since the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie had disappeared, and authorities had just announced they had a new lead from Ring footage of what looked like a potential subject attempting to tamper with the doorbell camera on the morning of her disappearance.
US news
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

7 phrases you should always avoid if you want to sound intelligent, according to psychology - Silicon Canals

You know that sinking feeling when you realize you've been using a phrase that makes you sound less intelligent than you actually are? I had one of those moments a few years back during a pitch meeting for my startup. I was presenting to potential investors, and I kept saying "I think" before every point I made. "I think our user acquisition strategy will work."
Startup companies
World news
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Noam Chomsky's wife apologizes for their grave mistake' in Epstein ties

Noam and Valeria Chomsky apologized for failing to thoroughly research Jeffrey Epstein, saying they were deceived and regret their lapse in judgment.
Law
fromwww.amny.com
1 month ago

Alexander brothers' defense team takes final swipe at victims' credibility in closing arguments after month-long trial | amNewYork

Defense attorneys for three luxury real estate brothers charged with sex trafficking argue accusers regret consensual encounters rather than experienced crimes, claiming insufficient evidence supports trafficking convictions.
Education
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

7 words highly intelligent people use in conversation that average people mispronounce - Silicon Canals

Correct pronunciation of commonly mispronounced words often reflects extensive reading, attention to language, and habitual auditory correction rather than showing off.
US politics
fromAbove the Law
2 months ago

The Perp Walk Is The Point - Above the Law

The Justice Department sought to publicize an image of Don Lemon in handcuffs while prosecuting protesters and attempted to suppress public docket records.
California
fromSFGATE
2 months ago

After DUI arrest, man charged with murder relating to Calif. cold case

A suspect was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the 2008 Kern County cold-case homicide of Thomas Charles Horton following a 2025 DUI arrest.
US news
fromwww.mercurynews.com
1 month ago

Genealogical sites have helped solve major crimes. Police in Nancy Guthrie's case might turn to them

Investigators may use DNA genealogy databases to match DNA from Nancy Guthrie's case and potentially identify suspects or relatives when CODIS yields no matches.
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

Words Without Consequence

For the first time, speech has been decoupled from consequence. We now live alongside AI systems that converse knowledgeably and persuasively-deploying claims about the world, explanations, advice, encouragement, apologies, and promises-while bearing no vulnerability for what they say. Millions of people already rely on chatbots powered by large language models, and have integrated these synthetic interlocutors into their personal and professional lives. An LLM's words shape our beliefs, decisions, and actions, yet no speaker stands behind them.
Philosophy
fromABA Journal
2 months ago

Should the bottom line be up front? Only with context, Bryan Garner says

Many lawyers have eagerly adopted the buzzword "BLUF"-bottom line up front-as if invoking the acronym were synonymous with careful thinking. The catch is that almost no one stops to ask the important question: What exactly is meant by "bottom line"? The answer isn't obvious, and it shifts with context. In military writing, the "bottom line" is a concrete decision or action a commander must take-stated at the very start because the commander already knows the mission, the terrain and the stakes.
Writing
US politics
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Alex Pretti did not brandish gun, witnesses say in sworn testimony

Witnesses say Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was unarmed when federal agents tackled and fatally shot him in Minneapolis.
#missing-person
fromFortune
1 month ago
US news

FBI's search for Nancy Guthrie has few leads, with potential break in the case fizzling | Fortune

fromFortune
1 month ago
US news

FBI's search for Nancy Guthrie has few leads, with potential break in the case fizzling | Fortune

fromIPWatchdog.com | Patents & Intellectual Property Law
2 months ago

Split CAFC Says Disputed Aspects of Testimony by Doctor's Experts are for Jury to Parse

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued a precedential decision on Tuesday, January 20, concluding that a district court abused its discretion in granting motions to exclude two of Dr. Mark A. Barry's experts and granting judgment as a matter of law (JMOL) to DePuy Synthes Companies. The panel included Judges Stark, Taranto and Prost and Judge Stark dissented.
Intellectual property law
fromemptywheel
1 month ago

Blood Spatters and Newbie JAG Officers - emptywheel

The orders, they said, came from senior officials, including Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, several of whom worried that pursuing a civil rights investigation - by using a warrant obtained on that basis - would contradict President Trump's claim that Ms. Good "violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer" who fired at her as she drove her vehicle.
US politics
US news
fromAbove the Law
1 month ago

Law Professor Arrested On 50 Counts In Child Sexual Abuse Materials Case - Above the Law

A Barry University law professor, Glen‑Peter Ahlers, was arrested on 50 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting the sexual performance of a child and held on $100,000 bond.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Eyewitnesses, AI, and Inflatable Goats

Prior beliefs and cultural frameworks shape eyewitness perception, causing misidentifications like Columbus mistaking manatees for mermaids and misreading ancient bas-reliefs as SCUBA divers.
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Don't Get Lost in Translation

Led Zeppelin warned us about the perils of misunderstood communications in relationships. Failing to translate what we are trying to say or do so that someone else gets it is the root of so many problems. But translation is a fantastic find when it goes right. Here are some things I've learned about translating meaning from a lifetime of speaking numerous languages, practicing a wide array of martial arts, and communicating science.
Philosophy
US politics
fromAbove the Law
2 months ago

There Goes Lindsey Halligan - See Also - Above the Law

Multiple legal, criminal, university, and legal-technology developments unfold: judicial shooting, immigration protest at a career fair, Trump IEEPA question, LexisNexis workflow tool, bench reprimands.
fromblog.apaonline.org
2 months ago

How to Handle the Death of the Essay

If you don't know it, Ecclesiastes is a collection of Old Testament verses in which the eponymous title character discourses on the apparent meaninglessness of pleasure, accomplishment, wealth, politics, and life itself in the face of the infinitude of the universe and the absolute perfection of God. It is the source of many of our most cliched phrases, such as there is a time for everything and there is nothing new under the sun.
Philosophy
US news
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Pennsylvania man charged after more than 100 human remains found in his possession

A Pennsylvania man faces hundreds of grave-robbery charges after authorities found over 100 human remains, including skulls and mummified parts, taken from Mount Moriah mausoleums.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Did She Die the Way They Say?

Psychological autopsy clarifies equivocal manners of death but lacks standardized protocols, challenging reliability; qualitative forensic mental-state assessments deserve standing.
#expert-testimony
Law
fromAbove the Law
2 months ago

AI And Expert Witnesses: Not Replacement, But A Strategic Imperative - Above the Law

AI augments expert testimony by enabling large-scale review, adversarial simulation, and strategic insight while requiring careful use to avoid credibility risks and exclusion.
US news
fromwww.mediaite.com
2 months ago

Reporters Grill Investigators On Nancy Guthrie Case Over Authenticity of Ransom Notes

Authorities treat Nancy Guthrie's disappearance as an abduction after blood was found and confirmed; alleged ransom notes exist, investigators withhold specifics and offer a $50,000 reward.
Law
fromAbove the Law
2 months ago

On-Demand Webinar: What Winning Expert Testimony Looks Like - Above the Law

Effective expert testimony balances credibility with openness to opposing perspectives, clear translation of technical concepts for factfinders, and resilience under rigorous cross-examination.
Law
fromThe Walrus
2 months ago

When Evidence Can Be Deepfaked, How Do Courts Decide What's Real? | The Walrus

Advances in AI deepfakes will erode trust in photographic and audio evidence, undermining legal practice unless evidence laws and forensic methods adapt.
Law
fromAxios
2 months ago

AI is reshaping police detective work, starting with cold cases

AI tools enable detectives to rapidly search and analyze large, multimodal evidence (calls, interviews, photos, social media) to accelerate cold and active investigations.
Law
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
2 months ago

Video evidence and eye witness accounts: The science behind why people see different things

The same police dashcam footage of a 2007 high-speed chase and collision produced sharply different interpretations, culminating in the Supreme Court ruling for the officer.
fromSocial Media Explorer
1 month ago

The Role of Witnesses in Strengthening Your Injury Case - Social Media Explorer

Witnesses play a crucial role in personal injury cases, often serving as the backbone of the evidence presented in court. Their testimonies can provide essential context and details that may not be captured through physical evidence alone. In many instances, the accounts of witnesses can corroborate the claims made by the injured party, lending credibility to their narrative. This is particularly important in personal injury cases, where the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff. A strong witness can help
Law
Law
fromAbove the Law
2 months ago

A Guide To Conducting Discovery - Above the Law

Effective discovery shapes litigation by building leverage, forcing admissions, and methodically narrowing the opponent's options to win cases pretrial.
Law
fromAbove the Law
1 month ago

Threading The Needle: How To Win The Case That Can't Be Won (At Least Not The Obvious Way) - Above the Law

Win messy cases by accepting client imperfection, avoiding absolutism, and focusing ruthlessly on the single pivotal issue that defines where responsibility ends.
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