Firearms Shooting Reconstruction Expert Witness

Summary

Retired NYPD Detective and practicing forensic firearms examiner and training consultant in the fields of firearms operability, microscopic analysis of ballistics evidence and shooting incident reconstruction. Providing professional assistance to attorneys, municipalities and law enforcement agencies for case evaluation, courtroom and trial presentation in both criminal prosecution and civil litigation in thirteen different states since my service retirement in 1998.

Experience

This expert has been an active firearms examiner for the past thirty-one (33) years since 1989. He successfully completed more than twelve-thousand (12,000) firearms related cases while assigned to the NYPD Ballistics Squad from 1989 through 1998. These cases encompassed a wide variety of homicides, attempted murders, assaults and weapons possession charges throughout the five boroughs of the City of New York. He has also assisted a number of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies with investigations of firearms related incidents.

This expert has provided expert testimony at more than six-hundred (650+) trials conducted in various federal, state and county jurisdictions in multiple states. He has been recognized as an expert witness at trials linked to firearms, firearms operability, ballistics, firearms identification, microscopy, shooting incident reconstruction, gunshot-residue analysis and muzzle-to-target distance determination examinations. He has also presented expert testimony at a number of civil trials while assisting counsel for both the plaintiff and defendants.

This expert has been assigned as an independent consultant in over five hundred (500+) firearms related cases since his service retirement in 1998. He has assisted hundreds of attorneys in case analysis, trial preparation and presentation at criminal and civil trials conducted in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, Maryland, Delaware, Kansas, Vermont, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.

This expert has created and/or instructed a number of forensic training programs for firearms identification, shooting incident reconstruction and expert witness courtroom testimony. These programs have been used to educate many hundreds of firearm examiners, investigators and police officers in crime laboratories operated by the New York City Police Department (2000 – 2005 and again in 2014 – present), City of Philadelphia Police Department 2007 – present), Arkansas and Louisiana State Police Crime Labs, the Connecticut Division of Scientific Services, the Houston Police Department, Rhode Island Crime Laboratory and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratories.

This expert continues his education and professional development and has attended more than fifty (50) training courses offering over one thousand (1,000) hours of basic and advanced forensic related instruction in many forensic scientific fields.

Forensic Firearm Consultation – (1998 to Present)

• Conducting independent examination and evaluation for a variety of firearms and shooting related cases using recognized analytical techniques. Providing expert witness courtroom testimony on an assortment of criminal and civil cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Recognized as an expert in firearms, firearms operability, ballistics, firearms identification, microscopy, shooting incident reconstruction and gunshot residue testing & analysis.
• Retained as a member of an advisory shooting incident reconstruction team which traveled to Abu Dhabi, UAE and investigated gunshot related injuries to United Arab Emirates military personnel deployed to Iraq by assessing the bullet resistant properties of government vehicles.
• Retained as a member of an advisory shooting incident reconstruction team which traveled to Abu Dhabi, UAE and investigated gunshot related injuries to United Arab Emirates military personnel deployed to Iraq by assessing the bullet resistant properties of government vehicles.
• Assisted both defense counsel and prosecutors with trial preparation and presentation as an expert witness in the fields of shooting reconstruction, ballistics, firearms operability and microscopic examination of shooting related evidence.
• Provided professional assistance for criminal defense, prosecutions and civil litigation cases concerning murder, assault and weapons possession in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Kansas, West Virginia and Florida.
• Retained as a forensic consultant by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team an internationally recognized organization supported by the United Nations and charged with the forensic investigation of discovered mass graves throughout the world.
• Examined firearms and microscopic evidence, interpreted scientific reports, crime scene documents and medical examiner findings in excess of four hundred cases since 1998.
• Provided scientific analysis, forensic examination and case preparation for civil litigation concerning personal injuries by an assortment of paint ball markers.

Shooting Incident Reconstruction

• Conducting forensic evaluation of the circumstances surrounding shooting incident related cases. Providing scientific assessment of recovered physical evidence from shooting incidents to establish how the incident occurred. Performing forensic reconstruction analysis related to police involved shootings and unintentional discharges.
• Retained as a consultant by attorneys representing both plaintiffs and defendants in firearms related injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
• Retained as a consultant by attorneys representing both plaintiffs and defendants in firearms related injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
• Retained as a consultant by a number of private individuals to review and analyze questionable shootings resulting in the injury or death of family members.
• Court appointed as a forensic expert in various criminal defense cases where shooting reconstruction determined the validity of witness statements.
• Conducted investigations of shooting incidents involving homes, offices, multi-family dwellings, public property and motor vehicles using ballistic trajectory rod analysis.
• Evaluated crime scene reports, forensic documents, internal police investigations and witness statements associated with both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation.

Forensic Training

• Established recognized training programs in firearms operability, moot courtroom instruction and microscopic analysis.
• Retained from 2007 through 2008 by the City of Philadelphia Police Department as a Firearms Consultant/Training Coordinator responsible for creating two separate training courses in firearms operability, moot courtroom instruction and microscopic analysis. Successfully training twelve (12) police officers and civilian employees as firearm examiners during this eighteen (18) month program.
• Retained from 2001 through 2005, by the New York City Police Department as a Firearms Consultant/Training Coordinator responsible for creating three ASCLD/LAB recognized training courses in firearms operability, moot courtroom instruction and microscopic analysis. Successfully training thirty (30) New York City Police Department detectives, police officers and criminalists in firearms testing procedures, operability analysis, microscopic examination and firearms identification.
• Personally compiled an extensive forensic training manual, reviewed by ASCLD/LAB and adopted by the NYPD Laboratory Firearms Analysis Section in 2004. Created and administered a number of competency and proficiency tests to NYPD firearm examiners using ASCLD/LAB standards.
• Selected as a member of the Forensic Advisory Group to the Director of the NYPD Laboratory assisting the administration of New York City Police Department Forensic Laboratory in attaining and maintaining a professional level of standards in strict accordance with the ASCLD/LAB requirements for accreditation.
• Retained by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office as a Forensic Instructor, Firearms Consultant and Firearms Examiner/Microscopist providing fundamental training to eight (8) members of the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department in the fields of firearm operability, testing and identification.

Law Enforcement Training Accomplishments

Trained and/or lectured to hundreds of members of a variety of law enforcement agencies including:

United States Government
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms
United States Park Police

State Police Agencies
New York State Police
New Jersey State Police
Connecticut State Police
Massachusetts State Police
Rhode Island State Police
Maine State Police

New York State
New York City Police Department
Rockland County Sheriff’s Department
Nassau County Police Department
Westchester County Sheriff’s Department
Town of Carmel Police Department
Schoharie County Sheriff’s Department
City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Riverhead Township Police Department
East Hampton Township Police Department

New Jersey
Hudson County Sheriff’s Office
Morris County Sheriff’s Office
Fort Lee Police Department
Jersey City Police Department
Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
Mercer County Sherriff’s Office
Ewing New Jersey Police Department
Cherry Hill New Jersey Police Department
South Brunswick New Jersey Police Department
Hamilton New Jersey Police Department

Pennsylvania
City of Philadelphia Police Department
Pittsburg Police Department
Capital Region Forensic Unit
New Holland Police Department
Northwest Lancaster Regional Police Department
East Lampeter Township Police Department
East & West Hampfield Police Department
Warwick Township Police Department
Susquehanna Regional Police Department

ASCLD/LAB – International Assessor/Auditor Training

Certified as an assessor for accredited laboratories by successfully completing this course of instruction provided by the ASCLD/LAB – International organization. The curriculum adhered to the specialized system formed by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) based on the ISO/IEC 17025 general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

Crime Laboratory Experience – NYPD Ballistics Squad

Duties included testing thousands of different firearms and microscopically examining shooting related evidence. Case results were then interpreted and evaluated before preparing forensic reports and providing expert court testimony. Additional experience included serial number restorations, muzzle to target distance testing and laser trajectory analysis of shooting incidents.

Completed 12,000+ cases of operability testing and microscopic examination of ballistics evidence. Testified and qualified as an expert witness in 550 trial cases in the Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of the United States Federal Court and in Supreme, Criminal & Family Courts in all five boroughs of New York City.

Participated in the investigation and analysis of cases while collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (BATF), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), New York State Police and a number of police agencies and detective units in the region.

Additional Training and Media Accomplishments

Continue to lecture at universities, scientific working groups, and legal associations providing continuing legal education seminars (CLE) and at law enforcement forensic courses of instruction in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Trained and lectured to members of various state and municipal police agencies, prosecutor’s offices and sheriffs departments while providing forensic instruction sponsored by Montclair State University of New Jersey.

Appeared as a forensic firearm examiner on Court TV’s Nancy Grace Show, the Forensic Files series and the Fox Five News Network. Provided professional assistance to journalists from the New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, Boston Globe and Time Magazine for articles related to firearms and shooting incidents.

Provided technical advice relating to the preparation of scripts for the Law and Order television series and assisted a number of authors, writers and journalists in novels, screenplays and articles relating to firearms identification, assassinations and murders.

Scientific Presentations and University Lectures

Provided professional instruction to a variety of forensic laboratory examiners, university students and police investigators at training courses. Available upon request.

Specialized Training and Coursework

Attended forensic and firearms related training seminars and certification courses to advance my proficiency and remain competent in this profession. These include:

Firearms Analysis and Examination

BATF Firearm Serial Number Restoration School – 1/03
Wilson Arms Factory Familiarization Tour & Instruction – 1/06
US Military Weapons Development Seminar, Aberdeen Proving Grounds – 5/07
ATF Seminar on Military Weapons and Ammunition Testing, Picatinny Arsenal – 6/07
Ruger Firearms Manufacturing Orientation – 4/08
SigArms Firearms Manufacturing Orientation – 4/08
Smith & Wesson Firearms Manufacturing Orientation – 4/08
O.F. Mossberg Firearms Manufacturing Orientation – 4/08
BATF Machine Gun Conversion Course – 10/09

Microscopy

National Integrated Ballistic Information Network Training Course – 6/02
New York Microscopical Symposium at John Jay College – 4/05
Polarized Light Microscopy Workshop, NY Microscopical Society – 10/07
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM/EDX) Orientation – 7/08
Comparison Microscopy Illumination Workshop – 4/09

Toolmark Analysis

Introduction to Forensic Impression and Pattern Evidence – 4/97
F.B.I. Toolmark Examination & Evaluation Training Course – 6/06

Forensic Science

Expert Testimony & Evidentiary Law related to the Daubert Decision – 4/06
BATF Daubert Seminar at the New Jersey State Police Laboratory – 12/06
ASCLD/LAB International Assessor/Auditor Training – 5/09

Shooting Incident Reconstruction

Crime Scene Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents – FBI Academy – 7/95
NYPD Criminal Investigation Course – 11/97
NYPD Evidence Collection Team Training Course – 1/98
Shooting Incident Reconstruction Training Course – 5/00
Digital Imaging of Evidence Training Course – 4/02
Ricochet Analysis Training Workshop – 5/02
Wound Ballistics Training Workshop – 5/02
Shooting Reconstruction & Firearms/Toolmark Examination Protocols – 11/02
Forensic Shooting Reconstruction Training Course – 11/04
Gunshot Residue Chemical Testing & Evaluation Course – 6/06
Advanced Shooting Incident Reconstruction Training Course – 6/08
FBI Shooting Incident Reconstruction, Trajectory Analysis Training Course – 9/08
Crime Scene Photography Training Seminar – 11/08

Armorer Coursework

Glock Firearms Armorer Course – 3/95
Heckler & Koch Model MP5, USP & Shotgun Armorer Course – 3/97
Mossberg Shotgun Armorer Course – 8/97
Ruger Firearms, Model G100 Revolver Armorer Course – 6/06
Sig Sauer Firearms, Model 220, 229 Pistol Armorer Course – 8/06

Professional Development

Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners Training Seminar (Annapolis, MD)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners Training Seminar (Williamsburg, VA)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners Training Seminar (San Antonio, TX)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners Training Seminar (Philadelphia, PA)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners, Eastern Regional (Hamilton, NJ)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners Training Seminar (Indianapolis, IN)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners Training Seminar (Springfield, MA)
Association of Firearms & Toolmark Examiners, Eastern Regional (Beltsville, MD)

New England Firearm Examiners Educational Training Conference (Meriden, CT)
New England Firearm Examiners Educational Training Conference (Meriden, CT)

NYSIAI Regional Educational Training Conference (Williams Lake, NY)
NYSIAI Regional Educational Training Conference (Rochester, NY)
NY/NJ/Connecticut Tri-State Training Conference (Atlantic City, NJ)
NYSIAI Regional Educational Training Conference (Williams Lake, NY)
International Association of Identification (IAI) Training Conference (Boston, MA)
NJFFEA Training Conference/Bullet Deflection Analysis (Hillsborough, NJ)

Publications

Available Upon Request

Professional Affiliations

Currently a member in good standing, or have been previously accepted as a recognized member of the following specialized associations:

Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners (Regular Membership) (AFTE)
Association of Crime Scene Reconstruction (ACSR)
International Association of Identification (IAI)
International Association of Wound Ballistics (IAWB)
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Associate member) (NACDL)
National Rifle Association (NRA)
New York State Identification Association (NYSIAI)
New Jersey State Identification Association (NJAIA)
New York Microscopical Society (NYMS)
Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (NEAFS)
NYS Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Associate Member) (NYSACDL)