We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

Judge Throws Out Christopher Morales Expert Testimony—From Small Claims Court

Christopher Morales and the sellers who use him claim that as a "forensic document examiner," his "scientific methods" and exhaustive procedures have earned him "court-approval." They say this makes him far superior to any other kind of autograph authenticator.

Forensic document handwriting analysis generally requires at least 10-15 known handwriting samples, preferably from the time period of the writing being analyzed. The "scientific" part is primarily ink and paper analysis to try to establish when the item was could have been signed, if it was altered and other factors. There will be a detailed final report showing the item being examined, the handwriting samples used, and documenting the process of examination and analysis. The examiner keeps all notes, tests and other work product in case he is called to testify in the future.

Most forensic document examiners charge about $200-$500 an hour, and most evaluations take at least four hours. Some take 10, 20 hours or more.

When You Buy an Autograph Authenticated by Christopher Morales,
Are You Getting the Forensic Examination Promised?
Or Simply a Rubber Stamp?

These notes from a March 2011 small claims court trial may give you an idea.

Judge Lovert Bassett purchased about $7,500 in classic horror signed photos from Bryan Slaven of Autograph Central. Judge Bassett had them examined by PSA/DNA, who felt they were forgeries. Slaven refused to refund Judge Bassett's money. In Illinois, you can be awarded legal fees and court costs in small claims cases where fraud is established, so the judge hired an attorney and went full-bore after Slaven. [Lovert Bassett vs. Bryan Slaven, Case No. 10 SC 3866]

There was a hearing on March 11, 2011 in Waukegan, Ill. Morales was Slaven's expert witness, brought in to testify that his forensic document examination determined that the autographs on the photos were genuine. A potential witness attending the hearing sent us his notes from the trial, which were lightly edited to make them easier to follow:

Defendant, Brian Slaven did not appear at the hearing.

Forensic Document Examiner, Christopher L. Morales appeared at the hearing on behalf of the Defendant.

Christopher L. Morales said he ended his employment with the Dept. of Justice roughly 12 to 13 years ago and began self-employment at that time, saying he also continued to do contract work for the government. Morales said he still does contract work for the government. In the note taker's opinion, Morales was clearly implying that he is being hired by the government.

The presiding judge was Michael Fusz.

Gary Manges was Judge Bassett's counsel. 

Robert Ritacca was Bryan Slaven's counsel.


Judge Fusz asked Morales what kind of contract work he did for the government.

Morales answered that he does developmental programs, saying the work is done through USAID.

Judge Fusz asked Morales what government agency hired him.

Morales answered that he's contracted for developmental programs contracted by the Dept. of Justice.

Judge Fusz: When work is done through USAID doesn't the government hire contractors who then sub-contract personnel? In fact, Mr. Morales, would it be correct to say that you weren't hired by the government to do contract work, but in fact you were hired by a contractor who was hired by the government?

Morales: That is correct.

Judge Fusz asked Morales when he'd last done work for the government.

Morales answered that he'd recently just completed doing work for the government.

Judge Fusz asked Morales where that work was done.

Morales answered that he did that work in Guatelmala for the Police Academy.

Attorney Mages asked Morales if he'd been employed by George Washington University (GWU).

Morales: Yes.

Mages asked Morales when he worked at GWU.

Morales answered that it was in the mid-90's, approximately '95 to '99.

Mages: What work did you do for GWU?

Morales answered he'd been a faculty advisor, an adjunct professor, that he gave tours, and briefed new students.

Mages asked if Morales instructed Forensic Document Examination classes at GWU?

Morales said he did teach the class when the instructor asked Morales to fill-in for him. Morales also said he had assisted the instructor in teaching the class.

Mages asked Morales if he was paid by GWU for teaching.

Morales answered he was not paid by GWU for teaching.

Mages asked Morales how long he's done forensic authentication work for Autograph Central and its owner Bryan Slaven.

Morales answered that he's done work for Slaven for 5 to 6 years.

Mages asked Morales what he charges Slaven for each of Morales's forensic examinations of memorabilia.

Morales answered $75. Morales said he charges different rates to different dealers who hire him based on how long he's done work for the dealer and how much work the dealer gives him. Morales also said he also charges different rates for different industries.

Mages: How many examinations do you do for Mr. Slaven per year?

Morales: Approximately 15-20 pieces per year.

Mages stated at a rate of $75 for 20 pieces is approximately $1,500 annually.

Morales: That's correct. Morales further answered that rate pertains to the memorabilia industry.

Mages asked how much it cost him to attend the hearings.

Morales: Approximately $2,000, even more when you consider the hotel, but he wasn't staying at a hotel. Morales said that Slaven is paying his expenses related to these hearings.

Mages asked how long it takes Morales to complete his forensic examinations.

Morales: It depends on how many writings there are.

Mages asked how long it takes to examine each signature.

Morales: Approximately 2 to 3 hours.

Mages asked how many dealers Morales does forensic authentication work in memorabilia for.

Morales answered approximately 6 to 8 dealers, saying he does more work for other dealers than Bryan Slaven.

Mages asked if Morales kept notes of his time for each examination.

Morales answered that he keeps a scan of the signatures he authenticates along with a copy of his report. Morales does not keep other notes. He either passes the piece or not.

Mages asked what detail Morales provides in his report as to how Morales arrived at his findings and conclusions.

Morales answered that pass or fail is pretty much accepted in the memorabilia industry, compared to other industries, which require a "full-blown" report. Morales considers his reports acceptable forensic reports.


Morales said he's issued more than 17,000 certificates of authenticity pertaining to memorabilia, saying each of his COAs display a sequentially numbered hologram sticker identifying the item.


Mages read the "Objective Statement" listed on Morales's COAs: "To determine whether or not the signature on the paper is genuine." He then compared it to "Morales's Results of Forensic Comparison" statement listed on his COA: "Based on the principles of forensic handwriting comparison, the questioned signature on the paper appears to be genuine."

Mages stated that "is" and "appears to be" are two completely different findings, and asked Morales if he understood this difference.

Morales reluctantly acknowledged that there is a difference.

Morales said he's appeared in 8 to 10 court hearings as a "court-qualified" forensic document examiner expert.

Morales said he gets his "known writings" exemplars from the Library of Congress, Baseball HOF, private collectors, the Smithsonian Museum; and from a handwriting guide-book.

Judge Fusz: Did the Smithsonian Museum let you take the "known writings" out of the museum?

Morales: No.

Judge Fusz: Did you do your examination right there in the Smithsonian?

Morales: No.

Judge Fusz: Then how were you able to use the Smithsonian's "known writings" for your examination?

Morales answered that he'd taken a picture of the Smithsonian's "known writing."

Judge Fusz: So in your examination you didn't compare the signatures against the actual "known writing," you compared it against a picture. Is that your testimony?

Morales: Yes.

Judge Fusz asked Morales if the "known writings" he'd gotten from private collectors were supported by certificates of authenticity.

Morales: No.

Judge Fusz: How did you know these "known writings" were in fact authentic "known writings?"

Morales: Because they're from a private collection.

Judge Fusz: That doesn't mean that they're authentic "known writings" just because they're from a private collection, does it Mr. Morales?

Morales: No.

Judge Fusz identified Defendant's Exhibits 13 and 15 as Morales's "known writings" exemplars, which Morales had testified were his work product used to authenticate Lovert Bassett's items.

Judge Fusz asked Morales where he'd gotten these "known writings" from?

Morales said that they were contracts, checks, and he'd gotten some of them from a handwriting guide book.

Judge Fusz: What's the name of the handwriting guide book?

Morales: It's the "Autograph Collector's Handbook."

Judge Fusz asked Morales when the book was published.

Morales said it was published by Krause Publishing about 10 years ago.

Judge Fusz asked Morales who authored this book.

Morales didn't know the name of the author.

Judge Fusz asked Morales what the author's qualifications were regarding handwriting.

Morales didn't know the author's qualifications.

Judge Fusz: Then we really don't know that these known writings you used as your work product to authenticate Mr. Bassett's items are in fact authentic known writings, do we?

Morales: No.

Judge Fusz asked Morales how he determined the signed contracts and checks were in fact "known writings."

Morales: Because they're accepted writings that were done through the course of doing business.

Judge Fusz: How do you know that the signatures weren't signed by his [Bela Lugosi's] wife, or his manager, or by someone else?

Morales: Because they're accepted writings done through the course of doing business.

Judge Fusz asked Morales if he had documentation or certificates of authenticity proving these "known writings" as such.

Morales said he did not.

Judge Fusz: Then we don't know that these "known writings" you used as your work product to authenticate Mr. Bassett's items are in fact known writings do we?

Morales answered no.

Judge Fusz refused to accept Defendant's Exhibit 13 and Exhibit 15 and ordered that all testimony by Morales related to these exhibits be stricken from the record. [Meaning that the "known writings" Christopher Morales used and his related expert testimony were thrown out.]

Mages asked Morales whether the signatures could have been traced.

Morales said their was no guide for tracing. Morales said he tried tracing the signatures with a cartridge pen, but it couldn't be done effectively because of the double-nib.

Judge Fusz stated that he has knowledge of cartridge pens and many other types of pens from being involved in the hobby.

Mages asked if Morales did ink analysis on these signature.

Morales: I looked at the ink.

Mages asked again if Morales did an ink analysis of the signatures.

Morales said he did, but had no record of the ink analysis.

• Mages then questioned Lovert Bassett.

• Closing Statements from Gary Mages, then from Robert Ritacca.

• Judge Fusz will provide his decision in a hearing scheduled on Friday, 8 April 2011, at 1:30 p.m. in the same courtroom.

Views: 7386

Tags: autograph, bela, bryan, central, christopher, classic, forgeries, horror, legosi, morales, More…slaven

Comment by CJCollector on March 23, 2011 at 10:33am
Steve, that doesn't even include the "authentication" he does for another major auction site.  On that auction site (I watch it on a daily basis) I would say he "authenticates" anywhere between 20 and 50 autograph items per month.   Maybe Mr. Morales can tell us exactly how many autographs he "certs" for that other auction site every month.
Comment by CJCollector on March 23, 2011 at 12:39pm

Mr. Morales, if you're reading this forum I hope you will answer some of our questions.  You owe it to the hobby to explain how exactly you "authenticate" autographs.  

You owe it to the hobby to explain because judging by the number of autographs (17,000?) you have "authenticated" for various companies, sellers, etc.,  your actions have had a dramatic effect within the hobby or we wouldn't be where we are today. 

We all would like to know if you really used photographs you took at the Smithsonian as exemplars in your work?  We would like to know when you 'authenticated" historical cuts for Coach's Corner if you performed actual ink analysis as a "forensic examiner?"  And you have 'authenticated" hundreds of historical cuts for Coach's Corner.  As a "forensic examiner," Mr. Morales, have you ever questioned how Coach's Corner acquired literally hundreds of historical cuts?

You once 'authenticated" a Mike "King" Kelly signed softball for Coach's Corner.  I am really curious what exemplar you used to "cert" it and how you acquired that particular exemplar? 

That's all for now, Mr. Morales.

 

Comment by Brandon Mysinger on March 23, 2011 at 1:21pm

What he has yet to realize is that his testimony may be used against him in ANY other court case.  In a case where his actions and history as an "authenticator" are questioned, he will find that he backed himself into a very deep corner.

To be honest, He probably was not expecting the court to ask such smart and specific questions.  It appears that they had their doubts early on.

They already made him admit that his resume isn't exactly as he claims.

Now that I think of it, he may want to have second thoughts before stepping into a court room again now that he has tied the noose around his neck.

Comment by Meredith Miller on March 24, 2011 at 8:59am

As an FBI trained and certified document examiner, I am not surprised by Mr. Morale's admission of the poor methodology and his lack of training.    As an expert in this field for over 12 years, I have witnessed individuals who claim they are experts without any real training, education, and use unreliable standards to conduct handwriting examinations.  I would urge any collector to review the credentials of any "authenticator" seriously before purchasing memorabilia.  A trained document examiner will have at a minimum:  a bachelors degree, a 2 year training program completed with a federal, state or local laboratory, and be a member of professional organizations such as the American Acadamy of Forensic Science, (AAFS) Questioned Document Section, the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE), or the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE).  There are many organziations that sound similar but are not the same.  

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 24, 2011 at 11:51am

Meredith,

Thanks for joining us. I just googled you. Is this your Web site: www.dekalbmiller.com?

I'm sure many of us would love to ask you questions about forensic document examiners and the examination process. I hope you'll be kind enough to oblige.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you find us? Did someone ask you to come here? Are you involved in a current or potential case involving Christopher Morales?

Thanks--and welcome here. Hope you come back often.

Comment by DB on March 25, 2011 at 8:48am

well we can be assured that there will always be a home for Morales with Coach's Corner and other similar low end places for unsuspecting people. 

 

When Coach's Corner was asked specifically if they would continue to allow Morales amongst others to  provide his COA on items after being banned from Ebay there response was and I quote, "  did you read the article I referenced (A/Alert what else) in which Jimmy Spence authenticated items. People took his holograms off, sent to Chris Morales who hologrammed and certified them. Then they re-sent to Jimmy and he flunked them?? Including Tristar,UD items,etc.. I'm sure you did not."

 

Thus rather than answer the question it's easier to throw out a red herring.  So it's reasonable to believe that Morales will continue on as he always has but as Ali would say; "rope a dope".

 

No Mr. Bill we'd call it in another life that some "should seriously consider heading for the mattresses" which in some cases would be a step up for some, ya know the ones hiding under rocks.

 

might be worth buying the official transcript if one was kept.

 

Comment by Steve Zarelli on March 27, 2011 at 12:46pm

Chad wrote:

All I know is that their prices are incredibly low [autographcentral.net] . I would love the following item if it was real.

 

Well isn't that the ultimate indicator that it's fake junk? If it was real, good dealers would be buying it as inventory and flipping at a 200% profit.

Comment by Mark Jones on October 26, 2011 at 9:09pm

Average $75 per cert. 17,000 certs = $1,275,000

Thats scary for someone who doesn't even know much about authentication to be truthful. I wonder how many (if any) he actually said was not authentic?

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 21, 2017 at 7:59am

I just read the court notes on this March 2011 court case again. Morales testified that he spends 2-3 hours authenticating every signature and he had done about 17,000 certifications by that point.

The earliest Morales Forensics authentication document I recall seeing is 2007 or so, but he could have started earlier. So let's be generous and say he started in the year 2000.

17,000 certifications from 2000-March 2011 would be 1,545 certifications a year, and that's if there is only one signature on an item. Many of his certifications are for band-signed albums, photos with three or more baseball players or more.

But let's just assume one signature on an item for these purposes:

1,545 certifications a year, at 2.5 hours a certification (he said 2-3 hours each) would be 3,862.5 hours. Divide that by 8 hours a day=482.8 days a year.

If he worked 10 hours a day, every day, that would be 386 days a year. And that's not including pieces like this guitar Morales authenticated in 2008, that has 34 signatures on it. That should have taken Morales 85 hours alone!

Comment

You need to be a member of Autograph Live to add comments!

Join Autograph Live

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

© 2024   Created by Steve Cyrkin, Admin.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service