In August 2025, attorney Marcus Gunn attended the six-day Serious Science Seminar through the National College for DUI Defense in Arlington, Texas. Only the third attorney licensed in the State of Oregon to complete the course, he learned about the procedures for collecting, storing, and analyzing blood-alcohol samples. Part of the training included lab hours at the Shimadzu Lab at the University of Texas—Arlington, where he prepared a (cow) blood sample for testing through headspace gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector instrument (GC-FID). At the lab, he also observed Liquid Chromatographs and Mass Spectrometers (LC-MS), which are commonly used for blood-drug and urine-drug testing.

For two days, experts discussed the various errors that can occur during a blood draw, blood sample storage, and potential errors associated with blood-alcohol testing. They also discussed which records should be requested from the crime lab to obtain a complete picture of its scientific background and procedures.

The remainder of the course focused on applying scientific knowledge from the lab to trial advocacy, including explaining the science to jurors during voir dire, the opening statement, cross-examination of the state’s witnesses, and closing arguments.