Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
William J. Broad reports for the New York Times. Excerpt: In a report to the government, a panel of leading scientists said yesterday that polygraph testing was too flawed to use for security screening. The panel said lie-detector tests did a poor job of identifying spies or other national-security risks and were likely to produce …
The long-awaited report of the National Academy of Sciences’ Study to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph is scheduled for public release with a press conference to be held on Tuesday, 8 October 2002 at 11:00 A.M. Eastern time A webcast will be available at that time at: http://www.national-academies.org
Tennessean staff writer Laura Frank reports on allegations of sexual abuse brought by John Kline, a former student, against ex-priest Ron Dickman, a former Catholic school principal, in an article titled, “Ex-Ryan principal accused of molesting students; ex-priest Ron Dickman denies allegations.” In a sensationalistic stunt, the newspaper paid for a polygraph “test” for Mr. …
Tennesean staff writer Laura Frank reports. Excerpt: Last month, John Kline sat down in a chair at the Marriott Residence Inn in Brentwood with tubes and wires attaching his body to a polygraph machine. Consultant Kendall W. Shull, whose previous job was overseeing the Federal Bureau of Investigation polygraph unit at FBI headquarters in Washington, …
Phil Trexler of the Beacon Journal reports on the exoneration of Jimmy “Spunk” Willams, who was wrongfully convicted of raping a child, in an article titled “A wrong is officially righted.” Williams was convicted in part on the basis of his having failed a polygraph “test.” Excerpt: Further harming Williams’ case was an agreement between …
Washington Times staff writer Matthew Cella reports. Excerpt: Metropolitan Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey defended yesterday the results of a polygraph test administered to a man in prison for attacking two women in the same park where former government intern Chandra Levy’s remains were found, but he said police would like to ask the man …
Washington Post staff writers Sari Horwitz and Allan Lengel report in an article titled, “Levy Probe Concentrates On Rock Creek Attacker.” Excerpt: Detectives in the Chandra Levy murder case are focusing on a man convicted of assaulting two women jogging in Rock Creek Park last year — a suspect who was initially discounted after he …
Jim Muir reports for The Southern Illinoisan in an article titled, “Franklin Sheriff Says One Person Had Access to Pot Storage” Excerpt: BENTON — As the investigation into the disappearance of 5-10 pounds of marijuana from a secure county storage facility enters its third week, Franklin County Sheriff Bill Wilson said only one person from …
NewsMax.com reports. Excerpt: Three Muslim medical students who were stopped by police on Friday and interrogated for 17-hours after allegedly making jokes and threats related to the 9/11 anniversary have declined to take lie detector tests to back up their denials. The refusal came after their accuser, Georgia resident Eunice Stone, said she’d be willing …
Newsday staff writer John Riley reports on post 9/11 civil rights abuses stemming from the material witness law in this well-researched investigative article, which is the fourth in a series. Among other things, he documents the case of Abdallah Higazy, from whom an FBI polygrapher extracted a false confession. Excerpt: Higazy, an Egyptian diplomat’s child …