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Tips for Cross Examination of Dr. Matthew Cheney

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August 24, 2017, 09:49
amhawkins
Tips for Cross Examination of Dr. Matthew Cheney
In case the defense uses Dr. Matthew Cheney as an expert in toxicology on a DWI.

1. He started his company in September 2016 and, to date, he only works with defense lawyers.
2. His relationships with defense attorneys goes beyond the courtroom into being a Course Director for CLE courses with the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association.
3. He gets paid 1,500 to review a file, more per day to testify, and more for travel.
4. He focuses solely on volatile substances that "could" or "possibly" register as something else. He cannot give a definitive answer, just theories.
5. Based on reviewing his testimony in previous cases, as well as his most recent testimony, his testimony is essentially the same regardless of the case.
6. His company is not a lab, does not have access to a lab, he is not capable of testing the blood evidence in the case, nor does he recommend to the defense that additional testing would be beneficial. Having a lab analysis come to testify means that he is not needed which directly affects his bottom line.
7. Allow your scientist to stay in the courtroom during his testimony. In his most recent trial, Dr. Cheney took the requested lab procedures and manual and based his findings on information out of context.