Professor of Law and Forensic
Sciences
George Washington University Law School
A Leader in Crime Scene Investigation
St. John’s Law School alumni and Professor of Law Emeritus at
The George Washington University Law School is a recognized
authority in the rapidly emerging, and much in demand, world of
forensic science. He has written numerous articles on
forensic science, and is the co-author of the 4th edition of the
leading textbook on scientific evidence - Scientific
Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases (Foundation Press
1995). Professor Starrs has played a lead role in scientific
investigations involving; the Lindberg kidnapping, the
assassination of Senator Huey Long, the identification of Jesse
James, and the Boston Strangler’s purported last victim, Mary
Sullivan. His 2005 book, “A Voice for the Dead”
presents the results of his thorough investigations into seven
historical mysteries.
Having just celebrated his 50th Anniversary of graduating from
St. John’s Law School, Professor Starrs reflected upon his years at
St. John’s Law, “As a night student, with a family and working full
time, I didn’t get a chance to experience all of what the Law
School had to offer but the faculty was great and were truly
interested in student success.” In addition to a legal
education, Professor Starrs noted, “that students at the Law School
received a full Vincentian experience that focused on hard work and
dedication to family and community.”
Upon graduation from Law School, Professor Starrs applied his
legal education in the courtroom representing the Hartford
Insurance Company. However, he yearned for something
more. An advertisement in a local newspaper mentioning a
shortage of teachers prompted him to explore opportunities in
academia, which ultimately resulted in his spending four years
teaching at De Paul University Law School and following that almost
forty-five years at The George Washington University Law School
where he taught criminal law, criminal procedure, as well as
electives in forensic science. Always interested in
laboratory sciences, Professor Starrs was instrumental in the
evolution of the Forensic Science Program at The George Washington
University, one of the oldest programs in the country.
A strong advocate of family, Professor Starrs noted that
bicycling across the United States four times is not his greatest
accomplishment. His greatest accomplishments focus around
family, specifically fifty-four years of marriage, nine children
and eighteen grandchildren. His advice to today’s Law School
students is the same that he gives to his own children and
grand-children, “don’t insulate yourself from others, look for
opportunities to interact. When you need assistance, don’t be
afraid to ask for help because successful individuals like to help
others achieve their goals. Remember that you have a
Vincentian commitment to others, so lend a hand in the community in
which you live. Lastly, life isn’t always about knowledge, a
little luck never hurts as well, and the harder you work the
luckier you will surely get.”