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Project Title:
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Review of the Scientific Approaches used During the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Bacillus Anthracis Mailings
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PIN:
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BLSX-K-08-10-A
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Major Unit:
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Division on Earth and Life Studies
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Sub Unit:
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Board on Life Sciences
Committee on Science, Technology, and Law
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RSO:
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Sharples, Fran
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Subject/Focus Area:
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Project Scope
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In response to a formal request from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Academies will conduct an independent review of the scientific approaches used during the investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) mailings. An ad hoc committee with relevant expertise will evaluate the scientific foundation for the specific techniques used by the FBI to determine whether these techniques met appropriate standards for scientific reliability and for use in forensic validation and whether the FBI reached appropriate scientific conclusions from its use of these techniques. In instances where novel scientific methods were developed for purposes of the FBI investigation itself, the committee will pay particular attention to whether these methods were
appropriately validated. The committee will review and assess scientific evidence
(studies, results, analyses, reports) considered in connection with the 2001 Bacillus
anthracis mailings. In assessing this body of information, the Committee will limit its
inquiry to the scientific approaches, methodologies, and analytical techniques used during
the investigation of the 2001 B. anthracis mailings.
The areas of scientific evidence to be studied by the committee include, but may not be
limited to:
1. genetic studies that led to the identification of potential sources of B. anthracis recovered from the letters;
2 analyses of four genetic mutations that were found in evidence and that are unique to a subset of Ames strain cultures collected during the investigation;
3. chemical and dating studies that examined how, where, and when the spores may have
been grown and what, if any, additional treatments they were subjected to;
4. studies of the recovery of spores and bacterial DNA from samples collected and tested during the investigation; and
5. the role that cross contamination might have played in the evidence picture.
The committee will necessarily consider the facts and data surrounding the investigation of the 2001 Bacillus anthracis mailings, the reliability of the principles and methods used by the FBI, and whether the principles and methods were applied appropriately to the facts. The committee will not, however, undertake an assessment of the probative value of the scientific evidence in any specific component of the investigation, prosecution, or civil litigation and will offer no view on the guilt or innocence of any person(s) in connection with the 2001 B. anthracis mailings, or any other B. anthracis incidents.
The project is sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The start date for the project is 4/24/2009.
A report will be issued at the end of the project.
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Project Duration:
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18 months
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Provide FEEDBACK on this project.
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Contact the Public Access Records Office to make an inquiry, request a list of the public access file materials, or obtain a copy of the materials found in the file.
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Tel:
202.334.2000