Dr. Henry Lee Is Called the Godfather of Forensic Science — What Happens When He Gets It Wrong?
Dr. Henry Lee has been held liable for fabricating evidence in a trial that sent two innocent teenagers to jail for 30 years.
Published Oct. 5 2024, 2:22 p.m. ET
It's difficult to imagine anyone has worked on more famous cases then forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee. He is highly regarded in the scientific community, and has earned the nickname the Godfather of Forensic Science. Dr. Lee has been part of the JonBenét Ramsey murder case, the O.J. Simpson and Laci Peterson cases, and was even involved in the early investigation of Caylee Anthony. One could say he is a bit of a true crime legend, though even legends get it wrong.
In October 2024, Dr. Henry Lee is about to be the center of his own true crime documentary in the form of Peacock's Traces of Doubt: The Forensics of Dr. Henry Lee. My how the tables have turned. It seems as if Lee has made a few mistakes in his time, and some of these are allegedly by choice. Where is Dr. Henry Lee now? Here's what we know.
Where is Dr. Henry Lee now? He's speaking at his own events.
In the fall of 1998, Lee started The Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. He had been a faculty member since 1975 and wanted to create "one of the foremost academic forensic programs in the country." The Institute's goal is to make criminal justice more effective through "training, consultation, research and a unique public learning center." They have state-of-the-art technology at their disposal.
Lee often participates in events organized by his Institute such as the 2024 Annual Symposium on eCrime, which is a virtual event held on Nov. 8, 2024. The all-day symposium will feature talks from leading experts who will "provide insight and guidance on the key concepts to address the identification, preservation, collection, and investigation of data on mobile devices," per its eventbrite.
Dr. Henry Lee has been found liable for fabricating evidence.
It seems strange that Lee can continue on with his Institute as if he hasn't been found liable for fabricating evidence in a case that sent two innocent teenagers to prison for 30 years. In July 2023, a federal judge ruled that Lee falsified evidence during a trial that dated back to 1985, reported People. That's when Shawn Henning and Ralph “Ricky” Birch, ages 17 and 18 respectively, were found guilty of murdering 65-year-old Everett Carr.
Their conviction rested heavily on the testimony of Lee in regards to bloodstains on a towel in Carr's New Milford, Conn. home. Lee said that he tested this towel but U.S. District Judge Victor Bolden ruled there was no evidence backing up Lee's claim other than his own word. Both Henning and Birch filed a wrongful conviction lawsuit which resulted in the towel getting tested. As such, experts learned that the substance on the towel wasn't blood at all.
In September 2023, Connecticut's attorney general agreed to a $25.2 million settlement for Birch and Henning, per NBC Connecticut. "We are pleased to have reached an agreement in principle to resolve these matters in the best interest of all parties," said the attorney general's office and lawyers for Birch and Henning, in a statement. Each will receive $12.6 million. Lee still maintains he did not lie.
