Peter DeForest will present, “Lessons for Forensic Science from the O.J. Simpson Case and Other Highly Publicized Cases,” Thursday, Oct. 29, from 7 to 9 p.m. in room G21 of Ming Hsieh Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public.

DeForest is an internationally recognized forensic scientist. He is a former professor of criminalistics at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York where he has taught for 38 years. Prior to joining the faculty and helping to found the forensic science bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs at John Jay and the City University of New York, he worked in several forensic laboratories.

DeForest began his career in forensic science at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Crime Laboratory, Ventura, Calif., in 1960. He earned his undergraduate degree and doctoral degrees in criminalistics in 1964 and 1969, respectively, at the University of California at Berkeley.

In addition to his university teaching and research activities, he also serves as a scientific consultant and expert witness for police departments, prosecutor’s offices, municipal law departments, public defender agencies and private attorneys in criminal and civil casework in the U.S. and Canada. The consultation has included advisory panel membership on major case investigations in the U.K.

For more than 10 years, dating from the inception of the American Board of Criminalistics (ABC), DeForest served as the chairman of ABC Examination Committee, which was responsible for designing and administering certification examinations in a range of forensic science specialties. He is a past commissioner with the Forensic Science Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and was Criminalistics Section Chairman of the AAFS for 2006-2007.

DeForest is currently active as a private consultant.

For more information about the lecture, please contact Lori Britton at lori.britton@mail.wvu.edu.

10/27/09

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CONTACT:
Rebecca Herrod
(304) 293-7405 ext. 5251
Rebecca.Herod@mail.wvu.edu