I think part of the problem is that people in general have a very poor understanding of what science is, or how to evaluate evidence, so they regard it as received wisdom, handed down by a special caste, and not to be questioned.
So they trust experts without even knowing what questions to ask, or how to assess evidence, or evaluate certainty, or when they should get more opinions.
Not unlike the Post Office convictions. Then there were the Roy Meadows convictions. Many others, and I am sure many other people who have not been able to prove their innocence.
