CSI

UNDER  THE   MICR SC PE N.Y.P.D crime lab’s hair-and-fibre unit can’t make promises; at best, it can give a likely answer. The world’s fascination with TV shows like CSI has many asking “Why?”

 By  Jeffrey  Toobin

–Š‡‡˜‡‹‰‘ˆƒ”…ŠͳͲǡʹͲͲ͵ǡ–™‘‡™‘”‘Ž‹…‡‡’ƒ”–‡–†‡–‡…–‹˜‡•ǡ ƒ‡•Ǥ‡‘”‹ ƒ†‘†‡› Ǥ†”‡™•ǡ™‡”‡•Š‘–ƒ†‹ŽŽ‡†‹ƒ—ƒ”‡†’‘Ž‹…‡…ƒ”™Š‹Ž‡ƒ––‡’–‹‰ƒ—†‡”-­‐ …‘˜‡”’—”…Šƒ•‡‘ˆƒ‡…Ǧͻƒ••ƒ—Ž–’‹•–‘Ž‘–ƒ–‡ •Žƒ†ǤŠ‡…ƒ•‡™ƒ••‹‰‹ϐ‹…ƒ–‘–Œ—•–„‡…ƒ—•‡ –™‘‘ˆϐ‹…‡”•Šƒ††‹‡†„—–„‡…ƒ—•‡–Š‡ƒ™Š‘™ƒ•‡˜‡–—ƒŽŽ›…Šƒ”‰‡†™‹–Š–Š‡—”†‡”•ǡ‘‡ŽŽ ‹Ž•‘ǡˆƒ…‡†–Š‡’‘••‹„‹Ž‹–›‘ˆ„‡…‘‹‰–Š‡ϐ‹”•–’‡”•‘‹‘”‡–Šƒϐ‹ˆ–››‡ƒ”•–‘„‡‡š‡…—–‡† ˆ‘”ƒ…”‹‡‹‡™‘”–ƒ–‡Ǥ  Š‡‰‘˜‡”‡–ǯ•–Š‡‘”›™ƒ•–Šƒ–‹Ž•‘ǡ™Š‘™ƒ•™‹–Šƒƒ……‘’Ž‹…‡‹–Š‡„ƒ…•‡ƒ–‘ˆ –Š‡…ƒ”ǡ•Š‘––Š‡†‡–‡…–‹˜‡•†—”‹‰ƒ”‘„„‡”›ƒ––‡’–Ǥ‘‰–Š‡‡˜‹†‡…‡”‡–”‹‡˜‡†ˆ”‘–Š‡…”‹‡ •…‡‡™‡”‡Š—†”‡†•‘ˆŠƒ‹”•ƒ†ϐ‹„”‡•ǡƒ†’”‘•‡…—–‘”•‡Ž‹•–‡†‹•ƒ ƒ„‡”ǡƒ…”‹‹ƒŽ‹•–ƒ† –Š‡•—’‡”˜‹•‘”‘ˆ–Š‡ǤǤǤǤ…”‹‡Žƒ„ǯ•Šƒ‹”Ǧƒ†Ǧϐ‹„”‡—‹–ǡ–‘–‡•–‹ˆ›ƒ–‹Ž•‘ǯ•–”‹ƒŽǡŽƒ•–™‹–‡”Ǥ Under  questioning  in  Brooklyn  federal  court,  Faber  said  that  she  had  compared  samples  of  fabric   ˆ”‘–Š‡†‡–‡…–‹˜‡•ǯ…ƒ”™‹–Šϐ‹„”‡•ˆ‘—†‘‰Ž‘˜‡•ǡŒ‡ƒ•ǡƒ†ƒ„ƒ•‡„ƒŽŽ…ƒ’–Šƒ–‹Ž•‘Šƒ†ƒŽŽ‡‰‡†Ž›„‡‡™‡ƒ”‹‰‘–Š‡ night  of  the  crime.  The  prosecutor  asked  Faber  to  describe  the  methods  and  equipment  she  had  used  to  make  her  analysis.   Š‡•Š‡ƒ•‡† ƒ„‡”™Šƒ–•Š‡Šƒ†ˆ‘—†ǤDz›…‘…Ž—•‹‘‹•–Šƒ–ƒŽŽ‘ˆ–Š‘•‡“—‡•–‹‘‡†ϐ‹„”‡•…‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡‘”‹‰‹ƒ–‡†ˆ”‘ –Š‡‹–‡”‹‘”‘ˆ–Š‡‹••ƒƒš‹ƒǡˆ”‘–Š‡•‡ƒ–•ǡƒ†Ȁ‘”–Š‡„ƒ…”‡•–•ǡdz ƒ„‡”•ƒ‹†ǤŠ‡ƒ††‡†–Šƒ–‹Š‡”ϐ‹‡Ž†Dz–Š‡•–”‘-­‐ ‰‡•–ƒ••‘…‹ƒ–‹‘›‘—…ƒ•ƒ›‹•–Šƒ–Ǯ‹–…‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡…‘‡ˆ”‘ǯdz–Š‡•‘—”…‡‹“—‡•–‹‘Ǥ  ƒ„‡”ǯ•–‡•–‹‘›™ƒ•…ƒ”‡ˆ—Žƒ†”‡•’‘•‹„Ž‡Ȅƒ†‘–˜‡”›•‹‰‹ϐ‹…ƒ–ǤŠ‡…‘—Ž†‘–•ƒ›Š‘™…‘‘–Š‡ƒ—–‘-­‐ ‘„‹Ž‡ˆƒ„”‹…–Šƒ–•Š‡Šƒ†‡šƒ‹‡†‹•ǡ‘”Š‘™ƒ›‘†‡Ž•ƒ†„”ƒ†•—•‡‹–Ǥ‘”…‘—Ž†•Š‡•ƒ›Š‘™Ž‹‡Ž›‹–™ƒ•–Šƒ––Š‡ ˆƒ„”‹…ˆ”‘–Š‡…ƒ”™‘—Ž†•Š‘™—’‘‹Ž•‘ǯ•…Ž‘–Š‡•Ǥ ƒ„‡”—•‡†‘•–ƒ–‹•–‹…•ǡ„‡…ƒ—•‡–Š‡”‡™ƒ•‘™ƒ›–‘‡•–ƒ„Ž‹•Š™‹–Š ƒ›’”‡…‹•‹‘–Š‡’”‘„ƒ„‹Ž‹–›–Šƒ––Š‡ϐ‹„”‡•…ƒ‡ˆ”‘–Š‡†‡Ǧ–‡…–‹˜‡•ǯ…ƒ”Ǥ–‡•–•Šƒ†’”‘˜‡†–Šƒ–„Ž‘‘†ˆ”‘‘‡‘ˆ –Š‡†‡–‡…–‹˜‡•™ƒ•‘‹Ž•‘ǯ•…Ž‘–Š‡•ǡƒ†„ƒ•‡†‘–Š‹•ˆƒ…–ǡƒ•™‡ŽŽƒ•‘–‡•–‹‘›ˆ”‘Š‹•ƒ……‘’Ž‹…‡ƒ†ˆ”‘ ƒ„‡”ǡ ‹Ž•‘™ƒ•…‘˜‹…–‡†ƒ†•‡–‡…‡†–‘†‡ƒ–ŠǤDz ‹˜‡Š‘™—…Š‡˜‹†‡…‡–Š‡›Šƒ†‹–Š‡…ƒ•‡ǡ ™ƒ•ǯ–…”—…‹ƒŽǡdz ƒ„‡”–‘Ž† ‡ǤDzŠ‡’”‘•‡…—–‘”•Ž‹‡†–Š‡‹†‡ƒ‘ˆϐ‹„”‡‡˜‹†‡…‡‹ƒ††‹–‹‘–‘‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰‡Ž•‡Ǥƒ›„‡–Š‡›–Š‘—‰Š––Š‡Œ—”›™‘—Ž†Ž‹‡‹– „‡…ƒ—•‡‹–™ƒ•‘”‡Ǯ ǯǦ‡•“—‡Ǥdz  Dz ǣ”‹‡…‡‡ ˜‡•–‹‰ƒ–‹‘ǡdz–Š‡–‡Ž‡˜‹•‹‘•‡”‹‡•ǡƒ†‹–•–™‘•’‹‘ˆˆ•ȄDz ǣ‹ƒ‹dzƒ†Dz ǣ‡™‘”dzȄ ”‘—–‹‡Ž›ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡ƒ”–Š‡–‘’‘ˆ–Š‡‹‡Ž•‡”ƒ–‹‰•Ǥȋ”‡…‡–‹–‡”ƒ–‹‘ƒŽ•—”˜‡›…‘…Ž—†‡†–Šƒ–Dz ǣ‹ƒ‹dz™ƒ•–Š‡

most  popular  program  in  the  world.)  In  large  part  because  of   the  series’  success,  Faber’s  profession  has  acquired  an  air  of   glamour,  and  its  practitioners  an  aura  of  infallibility.  “I  just  met   with  the  conference  of  Louisiana  judges,  and,  when  I  asked  if  ‘CSI’   Šƒ†‹ϐŽ—‡…‡†–Š‡‹”Œ—”‹‡•ǡ‡˜‡”›‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡”ƒ‹•‡†–Š‡‹”Šƒ†•ǡdz Carol  Henderson,  the  director  of  the  National  Clearinghouse  for  Sci-­‐ ‡…‡ǡ‡…Š‘Ž‘‰›ƒ†–Š‡ƒ™ǡƒ––‡–•‘‹˜‡”•‹–›ǡ‹ Ž‘”‹†ƒǡ–‘Ž†‡Ǥ Dz‡‘’Ž‡ƒ”‡”‹˜‡–‡†„›–Š‡‹†‡ƒ–Šƒ–•…‹‡…‡…ƒ•‘Ž˜‡…”‹‡•Ǥdz––Š‡ƒ• ‡‰ƒ•…”‹‹ƒŽ‹•–‹…•„—”‡ƒ—™Š‡”‡–Š‡‘”‹‰‹ƒŽ˜‡”•‹‘‘ˆ–Š‡•Š‘™‹••‡–ǡ the  number  of  job  applications  has  increased  dramatically  in  the  past  few   years.  In  the  pilot  for  the  series,  which  was  broadcast  in  2000,  Gil  Grissom,  the   ϐ‹”•–•–ƒ”…”‹‹ƒŽ‹•–ǡ™Š‘™ƒ•’Žƒ›‡†„›‹ŽŽ‹ƒ‡–‡”•‡ǡ•‘Ž˜‡†ƒ—”†‡”„› comparing  toenail  clippings.  “If  I  can  match  the  nail  in  the  sneaker  to  the  sus-­‐ ’‡…–ǯ•…Ž‹’’‹‰ǤǤǤdz ”‹••‘—•‡†ǡ–Š‡†‹†Œ—•––Šƒ–Ǥ –Š‡‡š–‡’‹•‘†‡ǡ–Š‡ƒ•‡‰ƒ•‹˜‡•–‹‰ƒ–‘”••‘Ž˜‡†ƒ…”‹‡ „›…‘’ƒ”‹‰•–”‹ƒ–‹‘ƒ”•‘„—ŽŽ‡–•ǤDz‡‰‘–ƒƒ–…Šǡdz‘‡•ƒ‹†Ǥƒ–‡”‹–Š‡•ƒ‡•Š‘™ǡ‹…–‘‡•ȋ ‡‘”‰‡ ƒ†•Ȍ‹ˆ‘”• ”‹••‘ǡŠ‹•„‘••ǡDz Œ—•–ϐ‹‹•Š‡†–Š‡…ƒ”’‡–Ǧ•™ƒ–…Š…‘’ƒ”‹•‘•Ǥ ‘–ƒƒ–…ŠǤdz  Š‡ϐ‹…–‹‘ƒŽ…”‹‹ƒŽ‹•–••’‡ƒ™‹–Šƒ…‡”–ƒ‹–›–Šƒ––Š‡‹””‡ƒŽǦŽ‹ˆ‡…‘—–‡”’ƒ”–•†‘‘–ǤDz‡‡˜‡”—•‡–Š‡ ™‘”†Ǯƒ–…Šǡǯdz ƒ„‡”ǡƒ–Š‹”–›Ǧ‡‹‰Š–Ǧ›‡ƒ”Ǧ‘Ž†ƒ”˜ƒ”†‰”ƒ†—ƒ–‡ǡ–‘Ž†‡ǤDzŠ‡–‡”‹‘Ž‘‰›‹•˜‡”›‹’‘”–ƒ–Ǥǡ –Š‡›ƒŽ™ƒ›•Ž‹‡–‘•ƒ›™‘”†•Ž‹‡Ǯƒ–…Šǡǯ„—–™‡•ƒ›Ǯ•‹‹Žƒ”ǡǯ‘”Ǯ…‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡…‘‡ˆ”‘ǯ‘”Ǯ‹•ƒ••‘…‹ƒ–‡†™‹–ŠǤǯdz ‹”–—ƒŽŽ›ƒŽŽ–Š‡ˆ‘”‡•‹…Ǧ•…‹‡…‡–‡•–•†‡’‹…–‡†‘Dz dzȄ‹…Ž—†‹‰ƒƒŽ›•‡•‘ˆ„‹–‡ƒ”•ǡ„Ž‘‘†•’ƒ––‡”ǡŠƒ†™”‹–-­‐ ‹‰ǡϐ‹”‡ƒ”ƒ†–‘‘Žƒ”•ǡƒ†˜‘‹…‡•ǡƒ•™‡ŽŽƒ•‘ˆŠƒ‹”ƒ†ϐ‹„”‡•Ȅ”‡Ž›‘–Š‡Œ—†‰‡–•‘ˆ‹†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ‡š’‡”–•ƒ† …ƒ‘–‡ƒ•‹Ž›„‡•—„Œ‡…–‡†–‘•–ƒ–‹•–‹…ƒŽ˜‡”‹ϐ‹…ƒ–‹‘Ǥƒ›‘ˆ–Š‡–‡•–•™‡”‡†‡˜‡Ž‘’‡†„›’‘Ž‹…‡†‡’ƒ”–‡–•‘”‡ –ŠƒƒŠ—†”‡†›‡ƒ”•ƒ‰‘ǡƒ†ˆ‘”†‡…ƒ†‡•–Š‡›Šƒ˜‡„‡‡ƒ†‹––‡†ƒ•‡˜‹†‡…‡‹…”‹‹ƒŽ–”‹ƒŽ•–‘Š‡Ž’„”‹‰ƒ„‘—– …‘˜‹…–‹‘•Ǥ –Š‡‹†Ǧ‹‡–‡‡Ǧ‹‡–‹‡•ǡ—…Ž‡ƒ”ǦƒƒŽ›•‹•Ȅ™Š‹…Š…ƒŽ‹•—•’‡…–•–‘…”‹‡Ǧ•…‡‡‡˜‹†‡…‡ ™‹–Šƒ–Š‡ƒ–‹…ƒŽ…‡”–ƒ‹–›Ȅ„‡…ƒ‡™‹†‡Ž›ƒ˜ƒ‹Žƒ„Ž‡ǡ’”‘’–‹‰•‘‡Ž‡‰ƒŽ•…Š‘Žƒ”•–‘ƒ”‰—‡–Šƒ–‘Ž†‡”ǡŽ‡••”‡Ž‹-­‐ ƒ„Ž‡–‡•–•ǡ•—…Šƒ•Šƒ‹”ƒ†ϐ‹„”‡ƒƒŽ›•‹•ǡ•Š‘—Ž†‘Ž‘‰‡”„‡ƒŽŽ‘™‡†‹…‘—”–Ǥ ͳͻͻ͸ǡ–Š‡ƒ—–Š‘”•‘ˆƒ‡šŠƒ—•–‹˜‡ •–—†›‘ˆˆ‘”‡•‹…Šƒ‹”…‘’ƒ”‹•‘•’—„Ž‹•Š‡†‹–Š‡‘Ž—„‹ƒ—ƒ‹‰Š–•ƒ™‡˜‹‡™…‘…Ž—†‡†ǡDz ˆ–Š‡’—”˜‡›-­‐ ‘”•‘ˆ–Š‹•†—„‹‘—••…‹‡…‡…ƒ‘–†‘ƒ„‡––‡”Œ‘„‘ˆ˜ƒŽ‹†ƒ–‹‰Šƒ‹”ƒƒŽ›•‹•–Šƒ–Š‡›Šƒ˜‡†‘‡•‘ˆƒ”ǡˆ‘”‡•‹…Šƒ‹” …‘’ƒ”‹•‘ƒƒŽ›•‹••Š‘—Ž†„‡‡š…Ž—†‡†ƒŽ–‘‰‡–Š‡”ˆ”‘…”‹‹ƒŽ–”‹ƒŽ•Ǥdz  …‘‹••‹‘‘ˆ‘”‡•‹…•…‹‡…‡•’‘•‘”‡†„›–Š‡ƒ–‹‘ƒŽ…ƒ†‡›‘ˆ…‹‡…‡•Š‡Ž†ƒ‘’‡•‡••‹‘‹ ƒ•Š‹‰–‘ƒ–™Š‹…Š•‡˜‡”ƒŽ’ƒ”–‹…‹’ƒ–•“—‡•–‹‘‡†–Š‡˜ƒŽ‹†‹–›‘ˆŠƒ‹”ƒ†ϐ‹„”‡‡˜‹†‡…‡Ǥƒš‘—…ǡ–Š‡†‹”‡…–‘” ‘ˆ–Š‡ ‘”‡•‹……‹‡…‡ ‹–‹ƒ–‹˜‡ƒ–‡•–‹”‰‹‹ƒ‹˜‡”•‹–›ƒ†–Š‡…‘Ǧƒ—–Š‘”‘ˆƒ‹’‘”–ƒ–•–—†›–Šƒ–”‡˜‹‡™‡† Šƒ‹”ƒƒŽ›•‡•„›–Š‡ ǤǤ Ǥǡ™ƒ•ϐ‹‡”…‡Ž›…”‹–‹…‹œ‡†„›•‡˜‡”ƒŽ‡„‡”•‘ˆ–Š‡…‘‹••‹‘ǡ‹…Ž—†‹‰‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡…‘Ǧ chairs,  Harry  T.  Edwards,  a  senior  federal-­‐appeals-­‐court  judge.  “It  sounds  like  there  is  a  lot  of  impressionistic  and   •—„Œ‡…–‹˜‡‡šƒ‹ƒ–‹‘‰‘‹‰‘ǡdz†™ƒ”†••ƒ‹†ǡƒˆ–‡”‘—…†‡•…”‹„‡†–Š‡•–—†›ǤDz ‘ŽŽ‘™Ǧ—’‡šƒ‹‡”•”‡’‡ƒ–‡†                                                                                                                                                          Continued  on  page  23.

William Petersen (Dr. Gil Grissom) and the rest of the CSI TV gang analyze DNA, hair, fibre and even a toenail or two at times. Most of these will reveal a perfect match. The glory of TV allows them to do this, but the real world does not.

Lisa Faber uses the best of available technology to determine if a stand of hair or fibre will help reach any conclusions. Even with what seems to be a perfect match, she can only speculate.