Dame Sue Black, a prominent forensic anthropologist who has worked from laboratory settings to active war zones and the scenes of natural disasters, said taking the stand as an expert witness remains one of the more terrifying aspects of her professional life. In a conversation with Ian Sample for the Guardian podcast, the professor described court appearances as a kind of performance in which experts can feel marginalised.
Courtroom pressures
"It's a theatre and we're pawns," she told Sample, reflecting on the adversarial pressures that accompany giving evidence in criminal trials. While her role is to provide objective scientific analysis — often to identify victims' remains or explain injuries — the experience of addressing judges and juries exposes experts to intense scrutiny and emotional strain.
Reputational stakes
Dame Black also highlighted the reputational risks that come with presenting scientific findings in court. Expert testimony can affect the course of investigations and trials, and if evidence is challenged or interpreted differently by defence or prosecution, the credibility of the witness and the science itself can be called into question. Those dynamics, she said, make the courtroom a high-stakes environment for forensic practitioners.
Looking ahead
The interview also touched on how forensic science might evolve. While she did not map out specific technological advances in detail, Dame Black discussed the need for rigorous methods and the careful communication of scientific certainty and limitations when experts speak in legal settings. Her remarks underscore the intersection of scientific practice, legal processes, and public trust in forensic evidence.
The conversation is part of the Guardian's science podcast series. Listeners interested in her broader reflections on expert witnessing can find the episode and related material through the Guardian's science coverage and bookshop offerings.