SUMMARY Professional
practice concentrates on the physical, chemical
and microscopical examination of physical
evidence particularly trace evidence (hairs,
fibers, etc.), impression evidence (fingerprints,
documents, tool marks), field investigation
(scene documentation, evidence collection),
firearms examinations (including muzzle distance
determination, trajectory reconstruction), and
incident reconstruction.
EMPLOYMENT PARTNER,
Forensic Science Associates, 1978 - present
CONSULTING CRIMINALIST, 1971 - present
CRIMINALIST, Paul L. Kirk & Associates, Berkeley,
California, July 1969 - January 1971
CRIMINALIST, San Diego Police Department, San Diego,
California, July 1968 - July 1969
EDUCATION
Graduate work in Criminalistics, University of
California, Berkeley, 1969-1970
Bachelor of Science in Criminalistics, University of
California, 1968
Attended San Francisco State University, September,
1965 - June, 1966, Major: Chemistry
Attended University of California, Berkeley, September
1962 - January 1964, Major: Chemical Engineering
Attended University of Redlands, Redlands, California,
September 1960 - June 1962. Major: Engineering
EXPERIENCE
Experienced in the examination and analysis of
physical evidence including field and laboratory
examination of all types of physical evidence and
investigation of a variety of types of crime and accident
scenes. With the San Diego Police Department,
responsibilities included crime scene investigation,
laboratory examination of evidence such as narcotics,
blood samples (for alcohol and drugs), firearms,
physiological fluid samples, trace evidence comparison
(fibers, paint, hair, etc.), supervision of laboratory
technicians, training of police officers, etc.
Consulting assignments beginning in 1969 with Paul L.
Kirk and Associates have included a wide variety of
incidents and many different types of physical evidence.
Typical field assignments involve inspection of incident
scenes, documentation and collection of physical evidence
from those scenes, and the reconstruction of the
incident. Typical laboratory assignments include
examination of clothing for relevant physical evidence,
examination of firearms and related forensic ballistic
problems, trace evidence examination (hair, fibers,
glass), document examination (handwriting, typewriting,
ink comparison, altered or obliterated documents, FAX or
photocopied documents, anonymous documents), and
fingerprint examinations. Types of cases included death
investigation (homicide, suicide, or accidental),
assaults, automobile or other types of accidents,
slip/trip and fall, industrial accidents, and personnel
matters.
Consultation can be provided in preparing for the
cross examination of expert witnesses, location of
experts in specialized fields, and overall review of the
physical evidence and technical aspects of pending
litigation.
Clients include Private attorneys, public defenders,
district attorneys, law enforcement agencies,
corporations, insurance companies, unions, independent
insurance adjusters, and private individuals.
Qualified as an expert witness in Superior Court in
numerous counties of the State of California as well as
in Nevada, Texas, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Arizona,
Colorado, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Federal and Military
Courts as well as Administrative hearings (DMV, NLRB).
Have presented expert testimony regarding questioned
documents examination, auto accidents, product liability,
firearms and ballistics, physiological fluids, trace
evidence, reconstruction of accident and crime scenes,
and examination of various other types of physical
evidence.
PROFESSIONAL
AFFILIATIONS
Fellow, American Academy of Forensic Sciences
(Criminalistics Section)
Member, California Association of Criminalists
Member, American Society for Testing and Materials
Forensic Science Society, Great Britain (Affiliate)
CERTIFICATIONS
Certificate in General Criminalistics (California
Association of Criminalists)
Diplomate, American Board of Criminalistics
TECHNICAL PAPERS
Whalley, R., and Barnett, P.D., Legal vs. Forensic
Definition of Under the Influence. Presented at the
33rd Semi-Annual Seminar of the California
Association of Criminalists, May, 1969.
Barnett, P.D., and Berger, R., The Determination of
the Age of Latent Fingerprints, J. Forensic
Science Society, 16 (1977) 249.
Barnett, P.D., Trace Elements Analysis of Heroin by
X-Ray Fluorescence. Presented at the 47th
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, May, 1976.
Barnett, P.D., Comparison of Edges of Paper from
Pads. Presented at the 54th Semi-Annual
Seminar of the California Association of Criminalists,
October, 1979.
Barnett, P.D., Probabilities and Human Hair
Comparison. Presented at the 55th Semi-Annual
Seminar of the California Association of Criminalists,
May, 1980.
Barnett, P.D., and Ogle, R.R., Examination of
Headlamp Filaments. Presented at the 56th
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, October, 1980.
Barnett, P.D., Blake, E.B., and Ogle, R.R., The
Role of the Defense Expert. Presented at the American
Academy of Forensic Science, Los Angeles, California,
February, 1981.
Barnett, P.D., and Ogle, R.R., Probabilities and Human
Hair Comparison, J. Forensic Science, 27
(1982):272-278.
Barnett, P.D., The Utility of On-Line Searching in
the Crime Laboratory. Presented at the 58th
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, October, 1981.
Barnett, P.D., and Hurley, N.M., Reconstruction of
a Shotgun Shooting. Presented at the First
Inter-American Congress of Forensic Sciences, Sacramento,
California, November, 1982.
Barnett, P.D., A Systematic Approach to Trace
Evidence. Presented at the 61st Semi-Annual
Seminar of the California Association of Criminalists,
May, 1983.
Barnett, P.D., Trace Evidence Examination - A Rapid
Examination and Classification Scheme. Presented at
the American academy of Forensic Science, February, 1984.
Barnett, P.D., Interpretation of Trace Element
Composition of Bullet Lead. Presented at the 63rd
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, May, 1984.
Barnett, P.D., Strong Negative Conclusions in Hair
Comparison - A Rare Event. Letter to the Editor, J.
Canadian So. Forensic Science 18(2): 69-70, June
1985.
Barnett, P.D., Ethical Considerations in the
Practice of Forensic Science. Presented at the 192nd
National Meeting, American Chemical Society, September 9,
1986, Anaheim, CA.
Barnett, P.D., and Blake, E.T., Microscopic
Comparison of Human Head Hair, Results of a Blind Trial
Experiment. Presented at Inter-Micro-86, Chicago, IL,
July 24, 1986.
Barnett, P.D., and Super-Mihalovich, J., Ricochet
of Bullets from Automobile Windshields. Presented at
the 73rd Semi-Annual Seminar of the California
Association of Criminalists, Sacramento, CA, May, 1989.
Barnett, P.D., The Examination of Hanging Chads in
Election Ballots. Presented at the 73rd
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, San Mateo, CA, May 1989.
Barnett, P.D., and Bagatelos, P.S., Examination of
Ballots in Contested Elections: Hanging Chads,
Identifying Marks and Alterations. Presented at the
American Academy of Forensic Science Annual Meeting,
February 22, 191, Anaheim, CA.
Barnett, P.D., Microscopy of Foreign Bodies from
Body Cavities. Presented at Inter-Micro 92, Chicago,
IL, July 13-16 1992.
Bowman, D., and Barnett, P.D., Deterioration of
Fibers in an Aquatic Environment: Preliminary
Observations. Presented at Inter-Micro 92, Chicago,
IL, July 13-16, 1992.
Barnett, P.D., Application of Multilinear Events
Sequencing (MES) Analysis to the Reconstruction of a
Shooting Incident. Presented at the 83rd
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, Oakland, CA, May 1994.
Barnett, P.D., Current Status and Activities of
ASTM Committee E-30 On Forensic Science. Presented at
the 83rd Semi-Annual Seminar of the California
Association of Criminalists, Oakland, CA, May 1994.
Barnett, P.D., The Role of Standards in Forensic
Science, Standardization News, 23:24-27, April
1995.
Barnett, P.D., Standards Needs in Forensic Science.
Presented to a seminar at the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD, June 15, 1995.
Barnett, P.D., and Shaffer, S.A., Forensic Science
on the Internet. Presented at the 85th
Semi-Annual Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists, Walnut Creek, CA, May, 1995.
Barnett, P.D., Methodological Approach to Crime
Scene Investigation: The Dangers of Technology, in
Hicks, John, et al. Forensic Evidence Analysis and Crime
Scene Investigation, SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 2941,
1997, pp. 102-108.
Barnett, P.D., The American Board of Criminalistics
Certification Program for Criminalists Specializing in
Trace Evidence Examination. Presented at the Joint
Seminar of the California Association of Criminalists and
the Forensic Science Society, Harrogate, England, July,
1997.
Barnett, P.D., Identification of Shoe Impressions
from a Double Amputee: Is It Possible?. Presented at
the Joint Seminar of the California Association of
Criminalists and the Forensic Science Society, Harrogate,
England, July, 1997.
Barnett, P.D., and Shaffer, S.A., Digital Discovery
- How to Provide It and How to Use It. Presented at
the 91st Semi-Annual Seminar of the California
Association of Criminalists, Monterey, CA, May, 1998.
AWARDS
California Association of Criminalists Service Award -
1977
California Association of Criminalists Outstanding
Service Award - 1984
California Association of Criminalists Distinguished
Service Award - 1989
California Association of Criminalists Distinguished
Member Award - 1992
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Moderator, Panel Discussion on "Ethics in
Forensic Science" at American Academy of Forensic
Science Annual Meeting, 1984
Moderator, Special Session on "Applications of
Computers in Forensic Science", American Academy of
Forensic Science Annual Meeting, 1987
Editorial Secretary, California Association of
Criminalists, 1985 - 1989
Membership Secretary and Criminalistics Subcommittee
Chairman, ASTM Committee E-30 (Forensic Science)
1989-1991
Chairman, ASTM Committee E-30 (Forensic Science)
1991-1993
Chairman, Hair and Fiber Peer Group, American Board of
Criminalistics / California Association of Criminalists -
1991 to present
Member, Board of Examiners, American Board of
Criminalistics
President-Elect, California Association of
Criminalists, 1995-1996
President, California Association of Criminalists,
1996-1997
PERSONAL
Born May 22, 1943 in Pasadena, CA, married, 2 children
CONTACT INFORMATION
Peter D. Barnett
Forensic Science Associates
3053 Research Drive
Richmond, CA 94806
1-510-222-8883 voice
1-510-222-8887 fax
Email:pbarnett at FSAlab dot com
