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Dr. Dan Krane Explains How DNA Evidence Misleads Juries
A Bermuda murder case unraveled under scrutiny. Julian Washington was convicted of killing Stefan Burgess, jurors persuaded that DNA on bullets was more reliable than any eyewitness. Prosecutors told them the odds were “1 in 46 million” that the DNA belonged to anyone else. With no defense expert to question the analysis, Washington was sentenced to life in prison.
He spent ten years behind bars before outside intervention revealed the truth: the DNA interpretation was deeply flawed. Independent expert Dr. Dan Krane uncovered eight major errors, from “suspect-centric” testing to statistical misuse. His findings persuaded the UK’s Privy Council to overturn the conviction and force Bermuda to review more than 400 other cases tied to the same forensic lab.
Host Andrew Wildes explores how flawed science and unchecked authority led to a decade lost, the systemic risks wrongful convictions pose in the Caribbean, and why access to independent expertise is essential to protect justice.
Content note: References to gun violence, wrongful conviction, imprisonment, and systemic failures in access to justice.
Key Themes
➤ DNA evidence as courtroom gold—and why it failed
➤ “Suspect-centric” interpretation and painting the bullseye
➤ Why courts defer to experts, even when they’re wrong
➤ The ripple effect: 400+ cases under review in Bermuda
➤ Access to experts as a safeguard, not a privilege
Chapter Breakdown
00:00 — Case opens: Bermuda, Burgess shooting, and arrests
02:30 — DNA emerges as the decisive evidence
05:00 — Prosecution’s claim: 1 in 46 million odds
08:15 — Jury convicts, Washington gets life
11:00 — Appeal court calls the DNA “rock-solid”
13:30 — A decade served before new scrutiny
15:00 — Dr. Dan Krane steps in: eight fatal flaws
17:00 — “Suspect-centric” testing and confirmation bias
19:30 — Privy Council overturns conviction, orders release
21:00 — Lessons for the Caribbean: experts, access, and justice
Brought to you by The Wave on The Frequency Network.
Connect with Dr. Dan Krane
Dan E. Krane, Ph.D.
More About Andrew Wildes
Explore the work of Andrew Wildes—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy.
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica.
Production, Distribution, and Marketing
Produced by Massif Studio & Production and The Tallawah Group.
Massif Studio Website
Massif on LinkedIn
Tallawah Website
For inquiries/sponsoring: email [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By The Frequency Network: The WaveA Bermuda murder case unraveled under scrutiny. Julian Washington was convicted of killing Stefan Burgess, jurors persuaded that DNA on bullets was more reliable than any eyewitness. Prosecutors told them the odds were “1 in 46 million” that the DNA belonged to anyone else. With no defense expert to question the analysis, Washington was sentenced to life in prison.
He spent ten years behind bars before outside intervention revealed the truth: the DNA interpretation was deeply flawed. Independent expert Dr. Dan Krane uncovered eight major errors, from “suspect-centric” testing to statistical misuse. His findings persuaded the UK’s Privy Council to overturn the conviction and force Bermuda to review more than 400 other cases tied to the same forensic lab.
Host Andrew Wildes explores how flawed science and unchecked authority led to a decade lost, the systemic risks wrongful convictions pose in the Caribbean, and why access to independent expertise is essential to protect justice.
Content note: References to gun violence, wrongful conviction, imprisonment, and systemic failures in access to justice.
Key Themes
➤ DNA evidence as courtroom gold—and why it failed
➤ “Suspect-centric” interpretation and painting the bullseye
➤ Why courts defer to experts, even when they’re wrong
➤ The ripple effect: 400+ cases under review in Bermuda
➤ Access to experts as a safeguard, not a privilege
Chapter Breakdown
00:00 — Case opens: Bermuda, Burgess shooting, and arrests
02:30 — DNA emerges as the decisive evidence
05:00 — Prosecution’s claim: 1 in 46 million odds
08:15 — Jury convicts, Washington gets life
11:00 — Appeal court calls the DNA “rock-solid”
13:30 — A decade served before new scrutiny
15:00 — Dr. Dan Krane steps in: eight fatal flaws
17:00 — “Suspect-centric” testing and confirmation bias
19:30 — Privy Council overturns conviction, orders release
21:00 — Lessons for the Caribbean: experts, access, and justice
Brought to you by The Wave on The Frequency Network.
Connect with Dr. Dan Krane
Dan E. Krane, Ph.D.
More About Andrew Wildes
Explore the work of Andrew Wildes—Jamaican lawyer, journalist, and host of Stuck: Wrongful Convictions in Jamaica. His mission is to expose systemic injustice, amplify the voices of the wrongfully imprisoned, and drive meaningful legal reform through storytelling and advocacy.
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
For updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Andrew across platforms and join the conversation on justice in Jamaica.
Production, Distribution, and Marketing
Produced by Massif Studio & Production and The Tallawah Group.
Massif Studio Website
Massif on LinkedIn
Tallawah Website
For inquiries/sponsoring: email [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices