Case of the Month: Forensic arson detection and its role in wrongful convictions feature in April. Cameron Todd Willingham In 2004, Cameron Todd Willingham was executed by the state of Texas for the 1991 fire that killed his three daughters: Amber (2) and the 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron. The prosecution argued that the fire […]
Cameron Todd Willingham
Sum it Up! #40
Sum it Up! #40 There are a few cases that I am watching: The Italian Supreme Court heard arguments today re Amanda Knox. The story on CNN is here. The issue of extradition will most likely fail since the US Constitution prohibits that someone faces another prosecution on substantially the same charges (double jeopardy). Note […]
David Lee Gavitt free after 30 years!
From PBS Frontline comes fantastic news! David Lee Gavitt is free after modern forensic arson detection determined there was no arson but an accidental fire. Gavitt is amongst several who have had their cases re-examined and thankfully, have been freed from prison and some from death row. Alas, all this comes too late for Willingham. […]
#CCLiveChat recap Feb 10, 2012
In this CCLiveChat, Andrew Wade who introduced us to fire investigations. Andrew is a world renowned forensic scientist with over 30 years experience as a practitioner. He joined the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory in the chemistry section where he reported on numerous cases as a court going officer. In 1989 he transferred internally to the […]
Prep #cclivechat with Andrew Wade
This Friday, we will be joined by Andrew Wade for #cclivechat and I have some burning questions for him. We have seen many cases re-investigated in the USA where forensic arson detection plays a role. I pointed you to the case of Han Tak Lee in my previous Sum it up! and now we have […]
Sum it up! #36
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 […]
Update 1989 Hina Murders
Update Hina Murders: A New Hampshire fire investigator says he doesn’t believe a lit cigarette started the fire that killed a Keene family of four in an adjacent apartment in 1989. Lawyers for 54-year-old David McLeod are in court challenging evidence prosecutors say shows that McLeod set the fire that killed a newlywed couple, their 4-month-old daughter […]
Update 1989 Hina Murders
The papers report that “Prosecutors and defense attorneys last week filed a request for jury selection in David B. McLeod’s trial to begin Aug. 1, according to Senior Assistant Attorney General N. William Delker. McLeod was indicted last year on four counts of murder, accused of setting a blaze that killed Carl R. Hina, 49, Lori M. […]
Sum it up! #3
Week 3: Sum it up! We saw a mixed bag of information this week about cold cases, DNA, forensic labs, testing and of course, funding. DNA was instrumental in cracking the 1994 throat slashing murder of Theresa Whetstone (Buffalo, NY) and the 1985 murder of Candace Derksen (Elmwood, Canada). At the same time, we see DNA backlogs […]
Sum it up! #1
The biggest issue for me for this Sum it Up! are the Cameron Todd Willingham hearings. The 3rd Court of Appeals, an Austin based appellate court, ruled last Tuesday that state District Judge Charlie Baird abused his discretion in handling an inquiry into the case of Cameron Todd Willingham. The 3rd Court of Appeals found that […]