Criminalistics / Criminology Expert Witnesses: 19

Adam Bercovici has almost 40 years of experience in the Police and Security field. Mr. Bercovici spent 30 of those years with the LAPD, 20 as a supervisor and manager. He is currently a retired LAPD lieutenant and former security company CEO.

Background: Mr. Bercovici's leadership assignments included the Criminal Investigation Section- Major Crimes Division-The Joint Terrorism Task Force, The FBI Violent Crime Task Force ( where he supervised the FBI Fugitive Task Force), The Special Investigation Section, and Homicide Special Section. 

Since 2012, Mr. Bercovici has worked as a licensed private investigator and subject matter expert and consultant in areas of Police Practices and Complex Police Investigations. His clients have included major law firms, insurance companies and corporations.

In the entertainment industry, Mr. Bercovici has been an on-air talent, producer, and script and story consultant.  He was the Co-Talent on The History Channel Series JFK Declassified-Tracking Oswald. He is currently the Technical Consultant for the ABC Network series Stumptown. His cases have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, and on the CBS Network.

Litigation Support: Adam Bercovici splits his work between defense and plaintiff. He has been retained by major civil rights firms, major municipalities and their legal counsel, plaintiff attorneys, city attorneys, and criminal defense attorneys. Mr. Bercovici accepts work based on the merits of the individual case.

Areas of Expertise: 

Police Use of Force Security Guard Operations Police Pursuit Policy Crowd Control Wrongful Death Criminal Conspiracy Public Safety Employment Private Investigator Best Practices

Active Shooter / Terror Incidence Kidnapping Special Undercover Tactics Complex Police Investigations Homicide Investigations K9 Operations Premises Liability Brady Issues

Emanuel Kapelsohn is an internationally recognized Firearms Training and Use of Force consultant who has instructed thousands of police and security officers, federal agents and others throughout the U.S. and abroad since 1980. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, he is a practicing attorney in addition to his consulting work. 

As vice president of the Internat’l Assoc. of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, Mr. Kapelsohn is a certified in force science and shooting scene reconstruction, and as an instructor in numerous law enforcement disciplines. He is a featured presenter at national and international instructor conferences. He has authored over 130 published articles, is Associate Editor of "Standards & Practices Guide for Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors," and principal author of "Firearms Training Standards for Law Enforcement Personnel," and "Guidelines for Simulation Training Safety." 

Mr. Kapelsohn testifies as an expert witness in civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts nationwide, and has testified by invitation before both houses of Congress. 

Testimony on the Following Subjects:

Gun Accidents Firearms Safety Gun Handling Procedures Gun Storage Firearms Design Operability Trajectories Velocities Ballistics Ejection Patterns - Ricochets Proximity Testing Gunshot Evidence

Bullet Wounds Reconstruction of Shooting Scenes Bullet Penetration Shooting Range Safety Hunting Accidents Holsters and other Shooting Products Self Defense Knives and other Weapons Involuntary Muscular Contraction and Accidental Discharge Police and Security Firearms Training Tactics and Procedures Use of Force

View Emanuel Kapelsohn's Consulting Profile.

Beth A. Mohr, CFE, CAMS, CCCI, MPA, PI, is a Law Enforcement / Police Misconduct expert with over 30 years of sworn and non-sworn investigative experience. Ms. Mohr is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), and a Certified Cyber Crimes Investigator (CCCI). She is also a Private Investigator licensed in New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

During her career with the San Diego Police Department, Ms. Mohr she was awarded three Commanding Officer’s Citations, which are the highest awards offered by the San Diego Police Department.  After retiring from the San Diego Police Department, she conducted death penalty mitigation investigations, and other complex felony investigations, including homicide and white-collar cases, for the Whatcom County, Washington, Public Defender’s Office.   This includes conducting investigations of allegations of police misconduct for the City of Albuquerque Independent Review Office.  Ms. Mohr recently chaired the City of Albuquerque’s Police Oversight Board, a civilian board which was created as part of the US Department of Justice’s Consent Decree with the City of Albuquerque and the Albuquerque Police Department. 

Ms. Mohr has taught courses on law enforcement topics including interviewing techniques, investigative ethics, evidence collection, financial and fraud investigations, and many other topics.  Her ethics courses, investigative courses, and fraud courses are certified by the State of New Mexico for law enforcement credit, and she is a POST Certified law enforcement instructor in California.

Litigation Support - Beth A. Mohr is available as a consulting or testifying expert anywhere in North America.  She is neutral, fair, and her opinions are rooted in provable facts.  She strives to balance her cases between defense and plaintiff-sided cases, and also provides habeas consulting services.  Ms. Mohr has testified as an expert in New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Washington state, in federal and state courts, on a variety of subjects, including police procedures, police misconduct, white collar crime and fraud examinations. 

Areas of Expertise:

Police Misconduct Use of Force Interviewing, Interrogations Police Ethics Investigative Failure Habeas Consulting False Arrest Failure to Train / Failure to Supervise

Evidence Handling Civilian Oversight Civil Rights Violations Police Policy, SOPs Fraud Embezzlement Cases Money-Laundering Cases Cryptocurrencies / Bitcoin

Dr. Roy G. Taylor is a current Chief of Police with over 40 years of experience in a wide-range of federal, state, local, and private criminal justice positions. Dr. Taylor specializes as an expert witness in Police Practices and Procedures and Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. Current Positions:

• Chief of Police Blue Ridge Public Safety (2014)
• President/CEO Signal 88 Security of Charlotte (2012)
• President/CEO Capitol Special Patrol (2012)
• Chief of Police Capitol Special Police (2002)
• Lt. Colonel – Provost Marshal, Army National Guard (2000)
• Antiterrorism / Emergency Management Branch Chief DoD (2007)
• Provost Marshal Joint Civil Support Task Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff (2014)

Litigation Support - Dr. Taylor is called upon to analyze cases from both defense and plaintiff perspectives. His services include case review, written reports, deposition, and trial testimony as needed. 

Areas of Expertise:

Police Standards & Practices Use of Force & Deadly Force Electronic Control Devices Standards of Conduct High Speed Vehicle Pursuits & Chases Law Enforcement Policies and Procedures

Failure to Train Law Enforcement Malpractice Failure to Supervise Violations of §1983 Civil Rights Personnel Selection & Retention Police K-9

View Roy Taylor's Consulting Profile.

James Gannalo is a former NYPD Detective and Forensic Consultant with twenty-three years experience in Firearms Identification. He has assisted attorneys and law enforcement agencies with hundreds of firearms related criminal and civil casework in addition to training dozens of individuals in firearms operability and microscopic analysis of ballistics evidence. He has testified as an expert witness in six hundred trials since 1989.

Areas of Expertise:

Firearms Operability Examination

Microscopic Analysis of Ballistic Evidence

Shooting Incident Reconstruction

Laser Trajectory Analysis of Bullet Paths

Gunshot Residue Distance Determination

Operability and Microscopic Report Review and Evaluation

Trial Preparation and Presentation

Expert Witness Testimony

Witness Interviews and Witness Statement Evaluation

Walter P. Signorelli, Esq., has over 30 years of experience in the field of Police Policy and Procedure and Police Liability.

Background - During his tenure in the NYPD, Mr. Signorelli held the ranks of Police Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Inspector, and Inspector, and served in numerous capacities. In these positions, he conducted or supervised 1,000s of undercover and overt investigations, applications for warrants, the execution of warrants, and arrests. He has also been responsible for the supervision of undercover training, and oversaw activities at the High-Intensity-Drug-Trafficking-Area (HIDTA) training center.

Regarding vehicle-related issues, Mr. Signorelli conducted or supervised numerous investigations of vehicle accidents, police emergency vehicles accidents, police vehicle pursuits, and was a member of various Accident Review Boards. His experience also includes responding to hostage situations, barricaded suspect situations, emotionally disturbed persons, and any police-related shootings.

Mr. Signorelli is currently a practicing attorney, an adjunct professor of law and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and an author. He has published three books: The Crisis of Police Liability Lawsuits, 2006; The Constable Has Blundered, 2010 (Carolina Academic Press); Criminal Law, Procedure, and Evidence, 2011 (Taylor&Francis, CRC Press).

Litigation Support - Walter Signorelli has been retained as a consultant by both plaintiffs and defense in a number of police liability cases, and has testified as a police procedures expert in both State and Federal courts. He has been prociding expert witness services for over 17 years.

Mr. Signorelli has been retained as an expert approximately 150 times and testified before an arbitrator approximately 25 times. His areas of expertise include:

Deadly Force / Excessive Force Drug Enforcement

Law Enforcement Police Procedures

George Schiro is a DNA Technical Leader - Forensic Scientist. His duties include incorporating the DNA Advisory Board (DAB) standards, accountability for the technical operations of the lab, conducting DNA analysis using the 13 STR core loci and Y STR in casework, DNA research, forensic science training and crime scene investigation.

Mr. Schiro has worked over 3500 cases and has qualified as an expert over 175 times in 31 Louisiana parish courts, Arkansas, California, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Texas, West Virginia, federal court, U.S. court-martial, and two Louisiana city courts. Has also consulted on cases in 29 states.

Qualified as an Expert in the Following Areas:

Latent Fingerprint Development Serology Crime Scene Investigation Forensic Science Trajectory Reconstruction Shoeprint Identification

Crime Scene Reconstruction Bloodstain Pattern Analysis DNA Analysis Fracture Match Analysis Hair Comparison Forensic Science Training

Timothy A. Dimoff, CPP, founder and president of SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc. a leading security consulting firm, has over 40 years of experience in Law Enforcement and Security matters for both the public and private sectors. He is multi-certified in the security field and is considered one of the nation's leading authorities on negligent security procedures; security & vulnerability issues; police procedures and operations including use of force; high-risk workplace and human resource issues; narcotics investigations and enforcement.  Mr. Dimoff is board certified by ASIS as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP?) which is internationally recognized as the “gold standard” certification for security management professionals, demonstrating their knowledge and competency in seven key domains of security.

Litigation Support - Mr. Dimoff has over 20 years of experience in testifying and consulting as an expert witness in over 500 cases and trials for both the plaintiff and the defense sides. His expert witness experience includes law enforcement procedures, security negligence of business or physical premises, human resources issues, meeting standards of practice in hiring and termination, employment practices, proper documentation, training, supervision, policies and procedures, harassment, discrimination, internal investigations, threats and excessive use of force.

Mr. Dimoff is a renowned speaker, trainer, and author who has offered expert commentary to national media including Dateline, NBC, CNN, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The LA Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.  He is the author of four books, including How to Recognize Substance Abuse, The YOU in Business, and Life Rage, a chilling examination of societal rage and safeguards against it.

Mr. Dimoff holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminology from Denison University.

Areas of Expertise: 

Security Policies and Procedures Use of Force Human Resource Issues including Hiring and Firing Terminated Employee Risks, and Policies Police Procedures Physical Security  Assessments

Negligence Determinations for Businesses Houses of Worship, and Schools High Threat and Security Vulnerability Analysis Drugs and Substance Abuse Issues Lone Wolf , Active Shooters, and Hate Groups Law Enforcement Procedures and Operations

View Timoth A. Dimoff's Consulting Profile.

Michael Levine is one of the most decorated Supervisory Agents in the history of the Drug Enforcement Administration. A US Law Enforcement Procedure Expert, Mr. Levine has many decades of courtroom experience (civil & criminal) as a Trial consultant and Expert Witness, including 25 years of service with DEA, Customs, BATF, and the IRS Criminal Investigations Division. Mr. Levine's supervisory and other law enforcement experience includes being in command of task force units combining officers of FBI, BATF, IRS, Customs, NYPD and other police agencies, service as an Internal Affairs supervisory investigator, a senior inspector with the Department of Justice OPR, Office of Professional Responsibility, and Director of a sheriffs department drug bureau. 

Mr. Levine, during his decades of trial experience, both as a senior law enforcement officer including the past 30 years as a professional trial consultant, has qualified as an expert witness for both prosecution and plaintiff as well defense, in federal and state courts including 19 states, Puerto Rico and 8 foreign nations. He offers full trial consulting and investigative services in both criminal and civil matters as follows: Expert Witness File Review and Strategy Assessment; Case Particular Design of Cross-Examination "menus"; Investigative, Technical and Research Support; Expert Witness Report and/or Affidavit Preparation. Utilizing his extensive experience as a Supervisory Internal Affairs Investigator, he can also identify the elements of probable cause indicative of false reporting, cover-up, and the concealment of Brady materials. Since the year 2007 he has been retained by the Atlanta and DeKalb County District Attorneys Offices, to conduct police-involved shooting reviews and as such has testified before criminal grand juries leading to the indictment and conviction of law enforcement/violators. 

Mr. Levine specializes in full trial consulting services and expert testimony in criminal and civil matters and has testified as an expert in the following areas of expertise:

Use of Force - Reasonableness, Excessive, Deadly Undercover Operations Police Misconduct Informant Recruitment, Management, Corroboration Investigative Procedures, Interview Tactics Evidence Handling RICO Title Three Investigations / Electronic Eavesdropping Devices Asset Seizures Narcotic / Drug Enforcement Undercover Use of Informants to Entrap

Internet Drug Trafficking Blind Mule Defense Undercover for Internet Child Predatory Practices Undercover Entrapment (all areas) Smuggling Money laundering International drug trafficking practices and mores Police Misconduct Official Corruption Reasonableness of Arrest Tactics, Raids, Search Warrants Cooperation Deals

A listing of his cases may be found on his website www.policetrialexpert.com.

Michael Levine is the only US law enforcement expert ever admitted to testify before a Japanese court, (Japan v Goldstein) and used the Blind Mule Defense, which resulted in an acquittal. He is a best-selling author, media consultant, lecturer and police instructor with extensive experience as court-qualified expert witness and trial consultant in civil and criminal matters.

Since leaving the Department of Justice, he has been retained in excess of 500 occasions as a trial consultant/expert witness throughout the United States, Canada, England and Japan. Mr. Levine has also remained active as a police instructor in the US, Canada and Australia. In January of 2008, his police instructional manual "Undercover Tactics and Informant Handling" previously written for the Department of Justice, was published by the New York State Department of Justice Services and utilized as an instructional manual for New York State law-enforcement. The manual was subsequently edited and republished by the US State Department for the instruction of Brazilian Federal Police which was conducted by Mr. Levine and his team of US-based experts. The manual was subsequently republished via academia.edu from where it is now among the top .05% of Global downloads by police agencies, attorneys and researchers.

 View Michael Levine's Consulting Profile.

R. Paul McCauley, Ph.D. assists plaintiff and defense attorneys in police, security, and jail related issues. He is Emeritus Professor of Criminology and former police trainer, security manager and faculty of the National Crime Prevention Institute and the Southern Police Institute. He has qualified in state and/or federal courts in more than thirty states and Canada. Dr. McCauley was an advisor to three national, presidential and congressional crime committees. He was a Fulbright Senior Scholar to Australia--police security interactions. Dr. McCauley is a noted consultant and published author. 

James (Jim) K. Ellis is a retired FBI Agent with more than 33 years of complex investigation experience.  He is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Private Investigator, and FINRA Arbitrator. 

During his 29-year career as an FBI Agent stationed in Dallas, Texas, Mr. Ellis earned over 20 awards and commendations. He led investigations on hundreds of complex criminal violations including fraud, money laundering, violent crime, homicide and narcotics trafficking.  He served for ten years on the FBI’s highly acclaimed Evidence Response Team before retiring from the FBI on December 31, 2015.

Litigation Support - After retirement, Mr. Ellis became a Private Investigator specializing in complex fraud investigations and expert witness support for attorneys. He has participated as the lead investigator in dozens of trials at both the federal and local levels. He has years of experience actively working all stages of the litigation process. From running investigations, to the filing of a legal action, to the presentation of the matter in a trial before a jury, Mr. Ellis is exceptionally qualified to help attorneys for both plaintiff and defendant deal with the arduous tasks of preparing for litigation. He is located in Texas but is available nationwide.  

Services Include:

Witness Location, Interview, Assessment Evidence Retrieval / Evidence Review Case Analysis Trial Preparation Civil & Criminal Research

Pre-Litigation Investigations Skip Tracing Surveillance Background Checks Research Analysis

Areas of Expertise:

White Collar Crimes Money Laundering Bank Fraud Investment Fraud RICO Investigations / Racketeering Organized Crime Health Care Fraud Narcotics Trafficking

Violent Crime / Homicide Kidnapping Gangs Crime Scene Forensics Evidence Analysis and Preservation Police/Federal Law Practice and Procedure Informant Operations Wire Tap Investigations

View JKE Texas Private Investigations' Consulting Profile.

Charles H. Heller, PhD, is a Forensic Psychology Expert with over 35 years of experience in his field. Dr. Heller is currently on staff at Rutgers University Biomedical Health service, specializing in criminal behavior and risk assessment. He also serves as a forensic psychologist consultant for the Rockland County (NY) court evaluation service, where he has performed hundreds of child custody, as well as criminal competency and child abuse/neglect evaluations.

Litigation Support - Dr. Heller specializes in conducting custody evaluations, providing the review and analysis of potentially mitigating circumstances in connection with criminal behavior, and providing consultation to attorneys regarding civil litigation. He has extensive court experience in Civil, Criminal, and Family Court cases. Dr. Heller is a fully vetted and approved forensic psychologist for the NJ Office of the Public Defender as well as other Public Defender offices. (Federal Public Defender, Legal Aid in Manhattan, Bronx, Kings and the NYC assigned counsel program). He often travels throughout the US as a forensic consultant in important court cases including military Court Martials, death row assessment, sexual abuse, assault and multiple homicides. He is well known and respected among his colleagues as a clinician and as a forensic psychologist/expert witness.

Civil Litigation - (Emotional and Mental Injury) - Dr. Heller is retained by both plaintiff and defense counsel to assess plaintiffs for emotional and mental injury. He takes an unbiased, ethical approach to assessments and is not "a hired gun." He is an expert in objective evaluations that assess the probability the plaintiff is suffering PTSD, other emotional injuries, or if there is exaggeration of symptoms based upon psychological testing and other data. He has expertise in cases that involve group home / residential schools, provider negligence, and assaults.

Criminal Litigation - Dr. Heller is experienced in providing successful rebuttal testimony explaining the scientific issues related to the problems of validity, reliability, and usefulness of "Syndrome evidence" such as "Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome" and "Rape Trauma Syndrome." He testifies in child sexual abuse cases and explains research related to false allegations, recantations, memory, suggestibility, child testimony, interview protocols, and "Believed-In Imaginings" in children and adults. He has expertise in domestic violence and has assessed women who have been victims of intimate partner violence and "Battered Women Syndrome" that contributed to homicides, assaults, and other felonies by the victims of abuse.

Manhattan: (Mailing Address) Two Park Avenue, 20th Floor New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212-880-3789 Alt. Phone: 845-354-0535 Fax: 845-354-1287

New Jersey: (Alternate Mailing Address 140 East Ridgewood Avenue South Tower, Suite 415 Paramus, NJ 07652 Phone: 201-262-0331 Fax: 845-354-1287

Westchester County: (Not for Mail Service) 520 White Plains Road, Suite 500 Tarrytown, NY 10591 Phone: 845-354-0535 Fax: 845-354-1287

View Dr. Heller's Consulting Profile.

Daniel B. Kennedy, Ph.D., is FCA’s principal consultant and is Board Certified in Security Management. Dr. Kennedy has had extensive specialized training in various aspects of Criminal Behavior, Policing Operations, Corrections Operations, and Private Sector Security Management. He specializes in crime foreseeability issues, appropriate standards of care in the security industry, and analyses of the behavioral aspects of proximate causation.

Dr. Kennedy has testified in cases involving the appropriate standards of care for the use of deadly force, vehicle pursuits, emergency psychiatric evaluations, prisoner health care, prevention of prisoner suicide, positional asphyxia/excited delirium, and “suicide by cop.” He also evaluates numerous lawsuits concerning premises liability for negligent security in the private sector involving properties both in the U.S. and overseas.

Dr. Ron Martinelli, PhD, CMI-V, is a nationally renowned Forensic Criminologist and a federal/state courts qualified law enforcement and premises liability expert who is also a Certified Medical Investigator (physician's level). He is also a Certified Suicide Investigator. 

Dr. Martinelli directs the nation's only Forensic Death Investigations & Independent Review Team of 26 law enforcement, forensic and medical experts and specializes in officer-involved death cases, civilian self-defense shooting cases and premises liability/security cases. He is a forensic/law enforcement expert to the U.S. Department of Justice, several State Attorney Generals' Offices, numerous major municipalities and nationally prominent private law firms specializing in wrongful death, civil rights and premises liability. 

Dr. Martinelli is the prevailing expert in over 90% of his retained cases. He has saved defendants over $300M and earned plaintiffs over $160 million in jury verdicts and settlements since 2004. He is the media's go-to forensic expert for FOX News, One America News Network, CNN, HLN, Sky News, BBC, NPR, and the History & Discovery Channels. Dr. Martinelli is skilled in crime scene reconstruction, forensics, applied sciences, human factors, psycho-medical emergencies and premises liability and security cases. His unique and extensive field experience, combined his academic and scientific credentials, excellent written reports and persuasive testimony, make him a very appealing expert to attorneys and juries alike.

Areas of Expertise:

• Arrests
• Search & Seizure
• Use of Force / Excessive Force - All Levels and Weaponry
• Officer Involved Shootings(OIS)
• In-Custody Deaths
• Criminal Investigations
• Law Enforcement & Corrections Practices, Training & Supervision
• Adult & Juvenile Corrections
• Law Enforcement Negligence
• Civilian Self-Defense, Premises Liability, Security, Foreseeable Harm
• Insurance Cases
• COVID Detentions & Arrests

Michael Corbett, CFE, CEDS, CAMS, PI, is an Investigations and Compliance Professional with 35 years of leadership in the conduct, management, and oversight of complex investigations. After more than thirty years with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Mr. Corbett offers extensive experience in all phases of investigations to include development of investigative leads; witness identification and interviews; development and management of informants; evidence collection and analysis; operational planning, trial preparation and testimony. He has extensive experience in leading multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigations as well as policies, procedures and programs impacting operations.

Mr. Corbett has proven expertise in sensitive international operations requiring close coordination with foreign government officials and agencies and is experienced in working within the diplomatic and consular communities as well as with private sector interests abroad. Experienced in the detection, investigation and mitigation of official corruption.

Areas of Expertise:

Drug Trafficking Money Laundering Police Practices & Procedures Electronic Surveillance International Investigations Police Misconduct Investigations Drugs and Controlled Substances

Drug Enforcement Administration Law Enforcement Tactics Organized Crime Electronic Evidence Discovery Law Enforcement Standards and Practice Surveillance Physical Evidence

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice Administration, University of Central Missouri
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS)
Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)
Licensed Private Investigator, Owner/Manager of a licensed Texas Investigations Company (State License A04186901)