Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
On Monday, 26 June 2006, in a segment titled “The Future of Lie Detecting,” National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation program addressed fMRI-based lie detectors, which are soon to be marketed by two new start-up companies, No Lie MRI and Cephos Corporation. Guests on the show were University of Pennsylvania psychiatrist and fMRI lie-detection …
Richard Wiling of USA Today reported on Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)-based lie detection in the 27 June edition in an article titled, “MRI tests offer glimpse at brains behind the lies:” Two companies plan to market the first lie-detecting devices that use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and say the new tests can spot liars …
Writer-historian Joel Shurkin comments on polygraphy in an entry on his Of Cabbages and Kings blog titled, “Liar, liar pants on fire. OK, maybe not.” Significantly, Shurkin notes that an article he once wrote for a major science magazine was suppressed because of outside pressure on the editor.
Washington Post staff writer Shankar Vedantam, who in May reported with Dan Eggen on the FBI and CIA’s questionable reliance on polygraphy, follows up with a new front page story titled, “Polygraph Readings Vary Among Agencies.” In this story, Vedantam addresses the experiences of victims of the polygraph. Excerpt: The National Security Agency denied a …
Kevin Johnson of USA Today reports on the FBI’s plans to polygraph police officers serving on Joint Terrorism Task Forces: WASHINGTON — The FBI will give lie-detector tests to hundreds of state and local police officers assigned to terrorism task forces across the country as part of a new effort to battle espionage and unauthorized …
Retired NYPD detective Warren J. Sonne writes for Officer.com in an article titled, “Tremors of the Trade: Investigative Tool or Troublesome Black Magic?” Excerpt: Over the past decade, police departments all over this country have lined up to purchase Voice Stress Analyzers. In a country that has placed restrictive rules of law on the police …
In reply to an ethics complaint against polygrapher Edward I. Gelb of Los Angeles, who is falsely holding himself out to the public as a Ph.D., the American Polygraph Association has stated that “the APA does not attempt nor does it presume to govern the designation of titles or degrees conferred upon its members.” As …
Philip Messing of the New York Post reports on the New York Police Department’s polygraph program: THE ‘TRUTH SQUAD’ HURTS (CRIMINALS) By PHILIP MESSING June 5, 2006 — Call it the NYPD “Truth Squad.” They’re nearly one dozen newly trained detectives skilled in administering “lie detector” exams – tests given to several hundred witnesses and …
On 1 June 2006, Sandra Kemper was released from the St. Louis County, Missouri Justice Center after four-years of pre-trial detention, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today in “Woman accused of killing son is set free,” by William C. Lhotka. Kemper had confessed to setting a fire that killed her 15-year-old son during a post-polygraph …
Matt McFarland reports for WNYT.com (News Channel 13, Albany, New York). Excerpt: Drug Trafficking Ring in Warren County May 20, 2006 BY MATT MCFARLAND A drug trafficking ring was recently discovered by authorities in Warren County. Jaime Meyers 28 of Selkirk, along with a husband and wife from Chestertown are behind bars. Authorities recently found …