Expert's lies jeopardize murder convictions

MADISON, Wis. - Saami Shaibani often testified for the prosecution in big murder cases, taking the stand as an expert in what he called "injury mechanism analysis" - a combination of physics, trauma medicine and engineering that he used to determine whether, say, a woman fell down the stairs or was beaten.

But after years of helping lock up killers, Shaibani could be the one in trouble.

The physicist lied under oath about his credentials, and now some of the convictions he helped secure are in jeopardy. At least one has been overturned so far.

His testimony has come under attack in at least five cases from Washington, D.C., to South Dakota since Shaibani was caught lying when he claimed that he was a clinical associate professor at Temple University and that he taught doctors there about injuries.

"He's a fraud. Basically, he was trying to create himself as an expert so he could run around the country and testify in these cases," said Wisconsin lawyer Stephen Willett.

Citing Shaibani's misrepresentations, Willett persuaded the Wisconsin Supreme Court this month to overturn the conviction of a man serving life in prison for allegedly poisoning his wife and drowning her in a toilet. The court ordered a new trial.

Shaibani did not return messages left at his home in Lynchburg, Va. He testified in 2004 that he tried not to embellish but that he may inadvertently "give myself the benefit of the doubt." No charges have been brought against him. But the district attorney in the Wisconsin drowning case said he may open a perjury investigation.

Defendants and prosecutors around the country are sparring over Shaibani's testimony.

In Washington, a woman convicted of killing her 2-year-old goddaughter in 2001 wants a new trial. Shaibani was the only witness to testify the girl could not have fallen down the stairs as the woman, Angela O'Brien, claimed, her lawyer said. Prosecutors said the woman slammed the baby's head on the floor. An appeals court decision is expected soon.

In South Dakota, a farmer claims he was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. Shaibani testified it was against the laws of physics for the woman to have fallen downstairs, as the husband claimed. Prosecutors said the victim was beaten and strangled. The courts have upheld his conviction, citing other evidence, but he continues to appeal. *