Program

Dr. Henry C. Lee is one of the world’s foremost forensic scientists. Dr. Lee’s work has made him a landmark in modern-day criminal investigations. He has been a prominent player in many of the most challenging cases of the last 45 years. Dr. Lee has worked with law enforcement agencies in helping to solve more than 8000 cases. In recent years, his travels have taken him to England, Bosnia, China, Brunei, Singapore, Taiwan, Bermuda, Middle East, South America and other locations around the world.

Dr. Lee’s work figured prominently in the JFK assassination, Wood chipper murders, Vincent Foster’s death investigation and O. J. Simpson trial, and in convictions hundreds of other murder cases. Dr. Lee has assisted local and state police in their investigations of other famous crimes, such as the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey in Boulder, Colorado, the 1993 suicide of White House Counsel Vincent Foster, the murder of Chandra Levy, the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart and the reinvestigation of the RFK assassination.

Dr. Lee is was the Commissioner of Public Safety for the State of Connecticut from 1998 to 2000 and served as Chief Criminalist and Director for the State Police Forensic Lab from 1979 to 2000. Dr. Lee was the driving force in establishing a modern State Police Major Crime Squad and Forensic Science Services in Connecticut. Currently, he is a Distinguish Chaired Professor at University of New Haven and Director of Forensic Research & Training Center.

In 1975, Dr. Lee joined the University of New Haven, where he created the school’s Forensic Sciences program. He has also taught as a professor at more than 40 universities, law schools, and medical schools. Dr. Lee lectures throughout the country and world to police, Universities and civic organizations. He has authored hundreds of articles in professional journals and has co-authored more than thirty books, covering such area as DNA, Fingerprints, Trace Evidence, Crime Scene Investigation and Crime Scene Reconstruction. His recent books, Famous Crimes Revisited, Cracking Cases, Blood Evidence, and Dr. Henry Lee’s Forensic Files have been well received by the public. He has appeared in many TV shows such as CNN, Larry King Show, Nancy Grace Show, Fox TV, Good Moring America, CBS, ABC, NBC, BBS, CCTV etc. His own TV program Trace Evidence -- Dr. Henry Lee's Case File has well received and was recipient for 3 Kelly Awards.

Dr. Lee has been the recipient of medals and awards, including the 1996 Medal of Justice from the Justice Foundation, and the 1998 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Science and Engineer Association. He has also been the recipient of the Distinguished Criminalist Award from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences; the J. Donero Award from the International Association of Identification, Alice Island Medal form US In 2005, Medal of Justice from Justice Foundation, Police Medal from Taiwan Government, Gusi Award from Philippines In 2008 and in 1992 was elected a distinguished Fellow of the AAFS. He also was elected as a distinguished member of IAI in 1987. He has been as consultant and advisor in criminal investigation, forensic science and law enforcement Issues for over 100 police agencies and court around the globe.

Dr. Lee was born in China and grew up in Taiwan. Dr. Lee first worked for the Taipei Police Department, attaining the rank of Captain. With his wife, Margaret, Dr. Lee came to the United States in 1965, and he earned his B.S. in Forensic Science from John Jay College in 1972. Dr. Lee continued his studies in biochemistry at NYU where he earned his Masters Degree in 1974 and Ph.D. Molecular Biology in 1975. He has also received special training from the FBI Academy, ATF, RCMP, and other graduate and post graduate, medical schools, and professional organizations. He is a recipient of twenty honorary Doctorate Degrees from Universities in recognition of his contributions to Law and Science. Dr. and Mrs. Lee have been married for forty-seven years and have two grown children, a daughter, Sherry, and a son, Stanley.

Keynote Lecture 1 “New Advances in Forensic Sciences, Justice through Science”

Contemporary law enforcement has greatly expanded its ability to solve crimes by the adoption of forensic techniques and procedures. Today, crimes are most often solved by careful analysis of forensic evidence. The work of forensic scientists is not only crucial in criminal investigations and prosecutions. It is also vital in civil litigations, major man-made and natural disasters, and the investigation of global crimes. However, the success in the analysis of the forensic evidence is based upon a system that emphasizes on teamwork, from crime scene, to forensic laboratory and to the court system. Case example will utilized to illustrate the issues in the application of forensic in justice system

Keynote Lecture 2 “Cold Case Investigation”

Cold case investigation is one of the hottest areas in US. Since almost 30 % homicide, 45 % Sexual assault and 60 % property crime are unsolved in US. Therefore, utilize the new forensic technology such as DNA, AFIS, NIBIN, IBIS and other databases search, using artificial intelligence, imaging technique, timeline analysis and other instrumentation methods to solve cases are extremely important in cold case investigation. Serial Killer Investigation and Cold Case examples will use to illustrate.

Jose Lorente, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Legal and Forensic Medicine at the University of Granada, Spain. He is the Director of the Laboratory of Genetic Identification in Granada and also the Director of the Pfizer – University of Granada – Andalusian Government Center for Genomics and Oncology.

Dr. Lorente obtained his Ph.D. in 1989 and he worked at the Universities of Heidelberg and Munster in Germany (1989-1991) researching on genetic identification. He was at the FBI Academy with Dr. Budowle in 1992 and 1993 where he spent 4 months at Dr. George Sensabaugh’s laboratory at the University of Berkeley.

He is the Scientific Director of the “Phoenix Program of Spain” (Spanish Missing Persons Genetic Identification Program) that was started in 1997 as the first program of its kind. He has also started the “MISSING KIDS IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM”, aka DNA-PROKIDS.

Dr. Lorente is Past-President of the Iberoamerican Academy of Forensic Sciences and he is now its International Liaison Officer as well as the President of the Ibero-American Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis (GITAD) at AICEF. Dr. Lorente has published over 100 scientific papers and has spoken in more than 30 countries all over the world.

Keynote Lecture 3 “Proficiency Testing: Towards Quality in Forensic Science”

Forensic science laboratories must pursue perfection in their work. The use of scientifically based analysis at the Court by the Judicial systems is always a warranty of independence, of objective results and conclusions as long as the analytical procedures have been performed according to the accepted scientific protocols and by qualified and trained professionals.

Many times, and more often every year, sentences are rooted in forensic analysis and in their conclusions. An innocent person could be sentenced to years in prison (much more relevant if there is a possible death penalty), or a criminal could be acquitted because a forensic analysis was not properly performed or its results were not adequately interpreted.

It is necessary to ensure the highest standards in forensic work. Having the right equipment and laboratories with the best trained and educated experts are the best ways to achieve accurate and reliable results. Apart from this, there is also the need to track the reliability of our routine work.

Proficiency tests are designed to test the performance of laboratories. The analysis of the same given samples and the subsequent comparison of results will show the lab managers if our scientists are achieving the same results compared to the other colleagues. The resolution of practical and theoretical problems faced by forensic labs (preparation methods, results interpretations, statistical calculations when necessary) must also be checked by proficiency tests.