Defrosting Cold Cases

Blood Pattern Analysis: A follow up to #cclivechat of Feb 3, 2012, Part I (or, How I Punched a Side of Pork in a Sheffield Morgue) by Sue Carney ___________ In this week’s #cclivechat we focused on blood pattern analysis. The previous week we’d touched on the issues of whether it might be possible to [...]

Tags: Blood Pattern Analysis, cclivechat, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, DNA, Forensics, Identification, Sue Carney

The first Sum it up! for 2012 and I got a lot to share with you. First of all, another police department has decided to place all their cold cases online with information for the public. The Syracuse Police Department and the Criminal Investigations Division have established the Cold Case Unit with an email address and a telephone [...]

Tags: Arson Detection, Cameron Todd Willingham, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Evidence, Forensics, Sum it Up!, Unsolved Homicide

Friday the 13th! It was tempting fate and indeed something happened. Air plane delays messed up Richard Case‘s travel plans. Our #cclivechat therefore began much early with questions and answers send via email and Twitter. At the noon hour, several other CSI folks jumped in and we learned a great deal today! 1: Can you [...]

Tags: cclivechat, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Richard Mark Case

From the New York Times: “In an opinion that harshly criticizes the tactics of the police and prosecutors, an Illinois appellate court on Friday night reversed the conviction of Juan Rivera, who has spent 19 years in jail for the 1992 rape and murder of an 11-year-old baby sitter in a suburb of Chicago. There [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Illinois, Investigations Division, Juan Rivera, Miscarriage of Justice, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Rape kits, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

Another case of senseless violence that costs a police officer his life. Yesterday, Virginia Tech Police Officer Deriek Crouse was shot in the head and killed during a routine traffic stop. He had not even exited his car yet. The driver of the car stopped was a third party. The shooter could be seen on [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Ballistics, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Police, Victim, Virginia, VT Police Officer Deriek Crouse, Witnesses

Today Mr. Zeigler‘s DNA hearing took place in Orange County, Florida, before Judge R. Whitehead. Mr. Zeigler himself was not present. However, he was available by phone if he was needed by the State, otherwise, his presence was waived in person and by phone. Passionate opening statements were made by defense attorney John Houston Pope. [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, Death Row, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Florida, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, William Thomas Zeigler, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

On this day, that Mr. Zeigler has his long awaited DNA hearing, we have to deal with the press and their inadequacies for getting the facts right. This local paper, Channel 13, brings you the ludicrous allegation that Zeigler supporters have claimed and I quote: “that Zeigler’s wife was having an affair with a man [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Ballistics, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, Death Row, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, FBI, Finger Printing, Florida, Forensics, Gun Fire, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, William Thomas Zeigler, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions

The Grand Jury is making progress in the cold case of Moira Holly Branagan! New material have been sent to the labs to be examined for DNA, and a report is expected at the end of the month! Stay tuned!  

Tags: Autopsy, Bethlehem, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Knife Attack, Moira "Holly" Branagan, Partial Finger Printing, Pennsylvania, Police, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

In 2012 “Cold Case Research” will come out. The author is Silvia Pettem and this is how she describes her book: “Cold Case Research: Resources for Unidentified, Missing, and Cold Homicide Cases,” to be published by CRC Press in 2012. Topics include the latest search engine tools such as TLO, the revolutionary missing and unidentified [...]

Tags: Autopsy, Ballistics, Book Reviews, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Rape kits, Silvia Pettem, Unidentified, Unsolved Homicide, Victim, Witnesses

Exciting news in the Mercury: “The Texas Forensic Science Commission on Friday approved 17 recommendations for improving arson inquiries. The panel also is suggesting a review of murder convictions involving fires, starting with prisoners on death row.” Of course, reading about forensic arson detection brings to mind the cases of Daniel Dougherty(PA), David McLeod(NH) and [...]

Tags: Actual Innocence, Arson Detection, Autopsy, Cameron Todd Willingham, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Cruelty, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Faulty Evidence, Forensic arson detection, Forensics, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Police, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions