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News Feature
Nature 445, 254-255 (18 January 2007) | doi:10.1038/445254a; Published online 17 January 2007
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Molecular Diagnostic Pathologist
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- Tulane, Louisiana, USA
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Statistics: Conviction by numbers
Mark Buchanan1
- Mark Buchanan is a science writer based in Europe.
Abstract
Statistics have the power to trip everyone up — including judges and juries. Even when extra care is taken to get the numbers right in court, confusion often reigns. Mark Buchanan reports.
In March 2003, when nurse Lucia de Berk faced trial in a Dutch court for charges of murder and attempted murder, the statistical evidence against her seemed compelling. Investigators had identified a number of 'suspicious' deaths and near deaths in hospital wards in which de Berk had worked from 1999 to 2001, and records showed that she had been present when many of those events took place.
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