Radley Balko has been all over the problems with Mississippi's forensic sciences, but now David Tarrell reports in from Nebraska: ...CSI commander David Kofoed was called in for one more search. He "found" a speck of blood matching one the murder victim's DNA on the vehicle's steering column. Case closed, right? How is the defense lawyer going to demonstrate that the DNA isn't … [Read more...] about CSI: Douglas County, Nebraska
Crime and Punishment
The Reality of Crime
I love procedural crime dramas. The shocking discovery of the evil deed, the villain vanished in the wind, the victims' relatives screaming at the police to do something, another victim missing but not found yet so perhaps still savable, the mobilization of the entire police force to help, the frenzied press ramping up the pressure, the intrepid detectives analyzing clues … [Read more...] about The Reality of Crime
A Lesson About Child Pornography
They just caught an alleged child pornographer in Newark, Ohio. The miscreant had taken nude photos of a 15-year-old girl and was sending them to the girl's friends---also minors---on their cell phones. What really makes this a story, however, is the identity of the individual who was exploiting this poor girl. Some of you know where this is going, don't you? The girl took the … [Read more...] about A Lesson About Child Pornography
An Arrest That Doesn’t Pass the Sniff Test
When I first spotted the headline that some guy was charged for the crime of farting, it just struck me as one of those inexplicable voids of common sense. The summary at WSAZ explains everything: When police were trying to get fingerprints, police say Cruz moved closer to the officer and passed gas on him. The investigating officer remarked in the criminal complaint that the … [Read more...] about An Arrest That Doesn’t Pass the Sniff Test
Acid-Throwing Suspect Apprehended
While cops in Los Angeles were busy busting illegal bacon-dog vendors, our own Chicago cops were catching up to some bad, bad people. With help from a surveillance tape and Cicero police officers, Chicago Police nabbed a 16-year-old girl for robbing and throwing acid on a Logan Square woman last month. The teenage girl, who did not act alone, was charged as a juvenile with … [Read more...] about Acid-Throwing Suspect Apprehended