When the law catches up with changes in science, it's good
for justice.
In 2017, the State of Connecticut, acting through then Hartford
State's Attorney Gail Hardy, agreed that the 2001 murder
conviction of Alfred Swinton should be vacated based on new DNA
findings and the discrediting of other crucial evidence connecting
Swinton to the murder of 28-year-old Carla Terry.
Dr. Karazulas, a bite mark analyst who had provided critical
testimony linking Swinton to the 1991 murder, had testified at
trial, based upon a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, that
Swinton "caused the bite mark that is depicted in the
photographs" of the victim's breasts, and that the injury
was inflicted "just before or at the time of death."
Then, years later, Karazulas acknowledged that bite mark evidence
has been discredited by the scientific community and that he no
longer considered this to be a valid scientific basis for his
testimony.
