Controversial: the Zeigler case has too many questions open despite the prosecution’s stand that there are none. The case of William Thomas Zeigler is covered in so many posts on my blog (60+) that he has has own category.
Yesterday, attorney Dennis Tracey III explained in his opening statements that many of those open questions could be answered by testing the evidence that remains for touch DNA.
DNA was not available in 1975 and even in the last decade, major advancements were made. A previous DNA test done in 2001 already showed how some of the prosecution’s contentions were wrong. You can find that here. Since 2001, technology has advanced further and we now have the possibility to test for touch DNA.
In December 1975, a quadruple murder took place in the Zeigler Furniture Store in Wintergarden, Florida. The victims were Charles Mays, Virginia and Perry Edwards (Zeigler’s parents-in-law), and Eunice Edwards-Zeigler (Zeigler’s wife). My concerns in this case are here.
In cases where the final punishment is death we should make sure that we have answered all questions and that none remain. There is no room for doubt when death is the punishment. If you must have capital punishment you must conduct all forensic tests with the latest technology available.
Judge Whitehead did not make a ruling yesterday. So again, we wait.