Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
Washington Post staff writers Allan Lengel and Sari Horowitz report. Excerpt: Joe McCann, a private investigator who found one of Chandra Levy’s leg bones in Rock Creek Park this month, was happy to provide D.C. police detectives with details of the discovery. But on Friday, during an interview at police headquarters, the detectives asked McCann …
James V. Grimaldi reports on allegations made by fired FBI contract linguist Sibel Edmonds regarding possible espionage by a co-worker on behalf of a Middle Eastern organization targeted for electronic surveillance by FBI counterintelligence. Edmonds states that the co-worker herself claimed to be a member of the targeted organization and also tried to recruit her …
Pseudoscientific polygraph “tests,” which may be conveniently rigged against the examinee, are a favorite bureaucratic tool of intimidation. In an article titled, “Sheriff says broken trust led to firing,” Beth Velliquette of the Durham, Chapel Hill, and Research Triange region Herald-Sun reports on the case of fired Chatham County, North Carolina sheriff’s deputy Dan Phillips, …
Joe Bauman of the Deseret News reports in this single-source article on polygraphy: The accuracy of polygraph tests compares well with that of other forensic techniques — but sometimes emotions can short-circuit the results, a national expert says. The tests record physiological responses to questions. The queries usually cover both a crime under investigation and …
Greg Lavine reports for the Salt Lake Tribune. Excerpt: Academic experts who study lie detection say that polygraph tests can play a useful role in cases such as the abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, but the scientific community remains divided over whether such examinations can accurately determine guilt or innocence. At least two family members, …
CNN.com reports in an article titled, “License plates found in missing girl case.” Excerpt: Investigators looking for Elizabeth returned to her home Thursday with police dogs and questioned for a fifth time the younger sister who witnessed the abduction. They said they have used polygraph tests in their questioning of numerous people, including family members. …
In an article titled “Sister Didn’t See Face of Abductor,” Salt Lake Tribune reporters Kevin Cantera and Michael Vigh detail developments in the Smart kidnapping case. Excerpt: On Thursday, police continued to say they had not ruled out any suspects, including members of Elizabeth’s family. The girl’s June 5 disappearance sparked a large-scale search and …
Fiona Hamilton reports on polygraphy in the workplace in Queensland, Australia in this article published in the Courier-Mail. Excerpt: LIE detector tests are the latest weapon for Queensland employers in vetting prospective employees and investigating workplace thefts and frauds. Insurers are also using lie detectors to check the veracity of claims, offering to pay if …
In an article titled “Squeal Like a Pig” published in the Riverfront Times, Bruce Rushton reports on the Overland Police Department’s alleged retaliation against employees who complained of sexual harassment. This detailed investigative report includes an account of how the threat of a polygraph interrogation was used as a tool of intimidation against Overland police …
On CNN’s “Larry King Live” show, Nancy Grace interviewed Tom Smart, brother of Ed Smart, whose daughter Elizabeth was kidnapped last week. The following is an excerpt from the show transcript: GRACE: A lot of focus has been placed on your brother, Edward Smart. We all know he’s taken a polygraph. What was his response …