Michael Archer

Michael E. Archer is a forensic scientist from New York City. He is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. He is the chief forensic examiner at New York Forensics, Inc., in Fishkill, New York. Additionally, he is an Investigator in the Dutchess County Medical Examiner's Office. Archer has taught at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York & at Mount Saint Mary's College in Newburgh, New York, worked on high profile cases with Henry C. Lee, Ph.D. & Michael Baden, M.D. and appeared on Court T.V. and has been in the New York Times, The Daily News & The New York Post. Michael Archer is an accomplished forensic photographer; his work has been purchased and published by the Associated Press. [http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ARUBA_MISSING_TEEN?SITECADIU&SECTIONHOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Michael Archer is the lead forensic scientist on the Joran van der Sloot defense team. In December 2007 Archer travelled to Aruba with van der Sloot's American defense attornies Joseph Tacopina & Rosemarie Arnold. In the weeks leading up to this trip Arubian prosecutor Hans Mos led Joran's defense team to believe there was "incriminating new evidence" against Joran. This was found to be untrue. While in Aruba, Archer examined the points of interest in the case and was set to meet with the Arubian authorities shortly before Joran was released from the KIA detention center. Archer said, "It was obvious that there was no new evidence. In fact, there is no evidence that Natalie died as a result of a criminal act. There is no crime scene, there is no DNA or forensic evidence, there are no confessions and there is no body. In the time Joran was with Natalie it would be impossible for him to have killed her and disposed of her without leaving a trace. I am certain Joran did not kill Natalie Holloway."

On Friday, December 7, 2007 Van der Sloot, 20, was ordered freed because the judge found the investigation "has not resulted in more direct evidence than before that Natalee Holloway has died as a result of a violent crime against her or that the suspect has been involved in such a crime," Archer was present at the KIA detention center and took exclusive pictures of Joran's release from jail and of Joran greeting and being embraced by his parents Paulus & Anita van der Sloot.

Michael Archer has degrees in Psychology, Biology, Forensic Science, Religious Studies, & Systematic Theology. He is a graduate of the seminary system of the Archdiocese of New York.

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