Criminalistics / Criminology Expert Witnesses

Daniel G. O'Kelly has over 46 years of experience as a range instructor, firearm designer, builder, auditor of licensees, collector, and expert on firearms and ammunition. 

Mr. O'Kelly served for 11 years as a Police Officer and for 23 years as a Special Agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). As one of ATF’s leading firearm experts, he was Lead Instructor of Firearm Technology at the ATF National Academy. Since his retirement from the ATF, he has served as a Senior Corporate Manager for Cabela’s, the then largest firearm retailer in the world, where he co-developed a firearm technology and ATF compliance training program for that company, and is the Founder/Director of IFSA. 

Mr. O'Kelly then founded and is the Director of, the International Firearm Specialist Academy (IFSA), a guild of award-winning experts, former Federal Agents, Investigators, Police Officers, Medical Doctors, and an Attorney, in the Firearm and Forensics field.

Litigations Support -  Mr. O'Kelly has testified continually in depositions and in criminal & civil cases in State, Superior, Circuit, District and Federal Courts since 1978, and has been recognized as an expert witness in Federal and State courts since 1990. He has opined on the topics of:

 Noteworthy Cases

• Retained as Defense expert in the Alec Baldwin case.
• Testified in four Federal trials on the topic of federal firearm definitions from 2014 to 2019 which resulted in ATF undertaking a 2-5 year rewrite of the definition of a firearm “frame or receiver”, which reached a SCOTUS decision in 2022. 
• Testified in trials wherein 1289 items of firearm-related evidence were ruled out by the Court as a direct result of his testimony.
• Worked undercover in three international illicit arms dealing cases, including the Diveroli case which sparked the movie "War Dogs", and is one of two ATF Agents to ever perform an undercover investigation of illicit international firearm trafficking in Europe.   

View Daniel O'Kelly's 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 an 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.

View Dr. Heller's Consulting Profile.

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) and 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 $650M and earned plaintiffs over $290 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 officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, 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
• Human Factors

Dr. Randy Atlas AIA , CPP is a Registered Architect, NCARB certified, and he practices Criminal Justice Architecture and Environmental Security Design. Atlas is a certified protection professional (CPP) with the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), and is an appointed member of the ASIS Security Architecture and Engineering Committee. Atlas has his doctorate in criminology and a masters of architecture. Dr Atlas is a Fellow  member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Dr. Atlas has taught CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) and criminal justice courses at Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Miami, Keiser University, and he is a trainer with the National Crime Prevention Institute at the University of Louisville. Dr. Atlas has been a technical Assistance consultant with the National Institute of Justice, National Institute of Corrections, and the Florida Department of Corrections and U.S. HUD Drug Elimination CPTED Program.

He has conducted ADA accessibility compliance audits for private and public sector clients, and served as an expert witness on over 200 premises liability lawsuits.

Dr. Atlas has been a speaker and trainer at security conferences from New Delhi, India to Seattle, Washington and has written over 200 articles in various publications on security, safety, and counter terrorism issues.

Dr. John R. Black is a recognized expert with extensive experience in international, federal, and state courts on Lethal Force, Police Use of Force, Officer-Involved Shootings, and Civilian Self-Defense, blending forensic analysis with human-centered perspectives and systems thinking. Dr. Black employs a systems thinking approach that enables him to view incidents from multiple perspectives. He regularly speaks to Police leadership, investigators, lawyers, and organizations about how we think about the process of inquiry, our biases, and our sensemaking.

Litigation Support - Dr. Black is qualified as an expert witness in state and federal courts related to police practices, police use of force, decision-making, officer-involved shootings, police tactics, police training, incident command, and police / jail operations. He is also qualified with similar expertise for civilian self-defense and use of force events.

Expert in Use of Force & Lethal Force Incidents & Decision-Making

In cases involving force--lethal force, understanding decision-making is as critical as the facts themselves. Whether you are a defense attorney explaining your client’s actions or a prosecutor challenging them, you need an expert who integrates both events and decision-making processes. Dr. Black offers a unique approach, blending quantitative precision with qualitative insight into how individuals make sense of their world. he is a recognized expert with experience in international, federal, and state courts on lethal force, police use of force, officer-involved shootings, and civilian self-defense. He combines forensic analysis with human-centered perspectives, ensuring a balanced view that benefits both defense and prosecution.

Advanced Forensic Video and Qualitative Analysis

Video evidence often plays a pivotal role in determining the facts. Dr. Black is skilled in forensic video analysis, using Amped Five software to extract key details. What sets him apart is his ability to combine video analysis with qualitative thematic tools like Atlas.TI, understanding both what happened and how individuals interpreted their environment under stress.

Cognitive Interviewing and Human Performance Expertise

Dr. Black specializes in cognitive interviewing, exploring clients’ mindsets during critical moments leading up to the use of force. His approach bridges the quantitative analysis of human performance with qualitative insights into violent encounters, offering a comprehensive view of why actions were taken.

Military and Law Enforcement Expertise

With 30+ years in U.S. Army Special Forces and 23+ years in law enforcement, Dr. Black brings unmatched experience to each case. He provides practical insights grounded in real-world experience. His background ensures a comprehensive understanding of how policy, training, and decision-making intersect under pressure.

View Aragon National, Inc.'s Consulting Profile.

Andreu Experts is a premier expert witness and consulting firm specializing in Law Enforcement Practices, with a distinct focus on Homicide Investigations, Use of Force, and Complex Criminal Case Analysis. Founded by a former Chief of Police with more than 45 years of distinguished law enforcement experience—including over two decades dedicated to homicide investigations—Andreu Experts delivers authoritative, fact-driven opinions grounded in real-world investigative leadership.

Their firm provides comprehensive expert services to both plaintiff and defense attorneys in state and federal courts. They are retained in cases involving wrongful death, police procedures, investigative failures, officer-involved shootings, and allegations of misconduct. Every opinion rendered is the product of meticulous case review, careful analysis of reports, witness statements, forensic evidence, and adherence to generally accepted law enforcement standards and practices.

What distinguishes Andreu Experts is not only the depth of experience, but the credibility and clarity brought to each case. Having led major investigations and supervised detectives in high-stakes environments, their principal understands how investigations should be conducted—and where they fall short. This perspective allows them to identify critical issues, explain complex procedures in plain terms, and assist attorneys in building compelling, well-supported arguments.

Services include case evaluation, report writing, deposition and trial testimony, and trial preparation support. They work closely with legal teams to strengthen case strategy, anticipate opposing arguments, and present findings in a manner that resonates with judges and juries alike. Whether retained early in litigation or brought in to assess an existing case, Andreu Experts provides objective, defensible opinions that stand up under scrutiny.

Andreu Experts' commitment is to professionalism, integrity, and precision. They do not advocate—they analyze. Their role is to assist the trier of fact in understanding what occurred, why it matters, and how it aligns with accepted law enforcement standards. When experience matters and credibility is critical, Andreu Experts is a trusted partner in the pursuit of justice.

Michael McNeill - Retired Sheriff’s Commander has over 32 years of progressively responsible Law Enforcement experience.

Client Engagement: Attorneys and law firms handling matters involving law enforcement practices, police operations, use of force, officer-involved shootings, vehicle pursuits, criminal investigations, supervision, policy compliance, detention or custody operations, and related civil-rights or public-entity litigation. Available to assist both plaintiff and defense counsel.