Nab Serial Killer: Bronx Trial

In his house, they found utilities that matched items at the victims’ burial site. Through this, Police then applied through federal laws to tap his phone and place bugs throughout his house.

The news articles did not specify whether or not this tape was actually found and analyzed, but the text did not cover the admissibility of such evidence in a trial nonetheless. The text also did not cover something that was of great importance in the Foddrill case- the problems with DNA evidence. After three searches of Russell’s home, the only blood evidence they could find was not able to be tested for DNA because it was “either inconclusive or to small to be tested” (Course 105). This type of lack of evidence is very consistent with a problem investigators often encounter during trial known as the CSI Effect- where people expect large amounts of forensic evidence and grand presentations. Oftentimes, prosecutors will bring in experts to explain the lack of evidence in order to make what little they might have count. I was personally surprised by the lack of evidence, since the testimonies of Hubbell and Fowler seemed to indicate that there was a fair amount of violence in the crime and since the crime extended over a few days at least. In conclusion of the case, the investigators were able to convince a jury that Long, Redman, and Russell were guilty despite any flaws or faults within the forensic evidence.

all of the victims were boys between eight and sixteen. Each body was found with there throat

There were many different issues that were present during the investigation to the Tim Bosma murder. For one the length of the investigation, and the amount of forensic evidence that was collected, and analyzed. The HPS explained to the court the evidence collected from Bosma truck. They took sixty-four blood swabs in and around the truck; furthermore, they also took 23 fingerprints from the truck on 20 different items with two of them matching to Millard (Clairmont, 2016). A cut was made in a green tarp to remove the section with blood stains on it, as well soil and vegetation samples were taken from the tires (Clairmont, 2016). They also collected shards of glass from a broken passenger window. This is just an example of the amount of evidence that was collected from just the truck in the Bosma murder investigation. Another

The expert testimony in the Wayne Williams case was vital in explaining the evidence to the jury (Imwinkelried, 1983). It is reasonable to concede that jurors have no prior knowledge of forensic science. Additionally, jurors will most likely have no prior knowledge of the different variations, color spectrums, moreover the uniqueness of various items presented as evidence in this case. As a prosecutor, it would important to include the testimony of fiber experts with extensive knowledge of the article presented. This expert would be able to articulate to the jury the unique qualities as well as characteristics of the fibers.

Vanessa Vermont, a gorgeous woman found dead in her own kitchen, laying on the floor with a fatal head wound on the back of her head. Just recently she bought a new broiler and need and outlet over her kitchen counter, something her husband could do. And it is right where she was murdered. There is also a woman’s briefcase on the floor near the kitchen. Which means Mrs. Vermont was leaving, which in turn could’ve enraged the husband.

When scientist were unaware of what happened during a crime, or where it was located, soil can tell all. Soil is everywhere and has different compounds and 'ingredients' that can depict where and what happened. So one came into this case and look at pollen samples taken from Mellory's nasal passages and her clothing and try and link it to locations that the police are wondering about as far as potential scenes for the

We then documented the scene and videotaped the scene. Photographs were taken, and a crime scene sketch was conducted. We found 40 caliber casings which were taken into evidence and sent to the lab. We received a hit on the print that came back to Jeffery Williams, a search warrant was issued and we went to apprehend the suspect. We immediately conducted GSR, we applied paraffin wax to his hands to see if he recently discharged a

One key piece of evidence was the odor inspection of the air in the trunk of the car. An odor analysis technique that was created by Dr. Vass was used by the prosecution team to show the evidence of decomposition in the trunk. The analysis of the air indicated a high level of chloroform. However, it was not concluded whether or not the chloroform resulted from the decomposing body. On December 11, 2008, a plastic bag of human remains and a skull with duct tape was found near Casey’s home. The remains were tested for DNA, and it was concluded that it was of Caylee. Her body was called “shoddy” after the autopsy. A forensic expert said that “the duct tape prosecutors claimed suffocated the girl” was not put on until after the body was decomposed (Flock). Prosecutors also found a prominent piece of evidence on Casey Anthony’s computer. On the last day that Caylee was seen, “foolproof suffocation” was searched on the family computer. The word “chloroform” was also searched many times. Cindy Anthony claimed to have searched these items. However, this important piece of evidence was overlooked by the prosecution

In the bodies of the three girls were found the same evidence that was a lock of hair and small fibers of different colors in each victim. The funny thing was that everything seems to coincide with a serial killer, although it was not certain who it was. After 5 years and after much evidence, they managed to find the suspect after a speed limit arrest, which was shot in the head shortly afterwards. Once he died, a lock of his hair was analyzed with the ones the victims possessed and it turned out positive. It was the same hair that was found on the victims.

Through mistakes made within the investigative process of the case, the outcome of the case was affected. On the collection of evidence many pieces were contaminated causing flaws in this evidence. When packaging blood swabs the cotton swatches used were packed in plastic bags and then left in a hot truck. This blood was also contaminated as the technician who handled it still had the blood voluntarily given by Simpson on his gloves (Jones, 2009). Degradation of missed blood, which was left for three weeks after the initial run through, may have turned unusable by the time investigators examined it. It was weeks after finding the socks at O.J. Simpson’s house that the police noted the blood on them. Destruction of evidence may have been caused through the bodies not being taken to be autopsied till 10 hours after they were found. During evidence collection the majority was compiled by a Junior Detective, who was taped dropping blood swabs as well as wiping tweezers with dirty hands, this made the evidence highly contaminated (Deutsch, 1995). To conceal the body of Nicole Simpson a police officer place a blanket over the body, this was done to

In New York City on January 7, 2014, a women by the name of Hodda Jones had her $1 million Tiger stolen from her 500 sq. ft. High-security apartment. The following investigation would be the largest in the NYPD in years. The investigation lasted twelve months and cost $500,000 dollars. These are the stories of lieutenant Raphael Paul and Dr. Max Kruse.

This shows how important to improve the forensics is on law enforcement. Did all those cases receive the justice they deserve?

Take the murder of Krystal Beslanowitch for example, she killed by a heavy blow to her head from a rock and was dumped into the Provo River. Any leads to solve the murder led investigators nowhere and no one was stepping in to help them. Eventually the case was solved when DNA was taken from the rock that was used to kill Krystal. Investigators used a tool called a forensic vacuum which allowed for the DNA to be extracted from the rock and help investigators find the murder. There are many case similar to this, and their are some where enough evidence is present to suggest that the suspect may have something to do with the murder, but not enough to say he actually committed the murder. The suspect could away because of lack of evidence. This would not be the case if the investigators had DNA evidence, because then it would directly say that the suspect was directly involved with the murder of the

The most serious offence Joe could be charged with is murder. Murder is the “unlawful killing of a human being under the Queen’s Peace with malice afterthought to kill or to cause grievous bodily harm”. Murder is committed by an act or omission. In this case its an omission. An omission occurs when the defendant had a duty to act and breached that duty. This breach must be the cause of death. The actus reus for murder is the unlawful killing of another person in the Queen’s peace and It must be satisfied that the defendant’s act or omission caused the death of the victim. Karla is not a foetus, she was not killed in a cause of self- defence nor during a time of war. In Miller, the court held that “conduct which consists of failing