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Findings in Expert Consultations – AFI-LLC – November 2024 4 of 8

November Commentary: Findings in Expert Consultations of Death and SBI

This commentary comes from many conversations we have with families in discussing our
process in reviewing the death of their loved one. Most often their concerns are founded - such
as being suspicious due to some unusual circumstances in how the body was when found.
However, their reasoning for these suspicions are actually a digression from facts and evidence -
perhaps the same as some juries have when thinking of the fading CSI effect from the genre of
television and movies.

Our goal, and passion, is to sort through everything from the official records, reports, and
photographs to the questions the family has - and bring both answers and closure, no matter the
findings or expectations. The same holds true of all of our legal investigations and expert
Learn more about the consultations, not just death - but serious bodily injury, and also in civil, criminal and even
process of death
investigation from "Death probate litigation.
and Serious Bodily Injury
Investigation for the Dean is a founding Advisory Board member of the Force Concepts Training Council, founded by
Professional Investigator" renowned national expert, and friend, Dennis Root. In developing the Board Certified Force
2nd Edition - available at Investigator curriculum, one criteria is all applicant will sign a sworn affidavit attesting to the
www.PrivateInvestigation
s.org applicant’s "commitment to conducting impartial, objective, and ethical investigations as an
advocate for the facts." For most of us, this is simply common sense; however, it is a powerful
statement - and commitment. One we have taken seriously and unequivocally since our agency's founding. How strong
is this commitment within our professional investigators circle of close friends? Brandon Perron, National Director of
CDITC (Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council), on which Dean also serves on the Advisory Board - and Brandon
is also a fellow founding Advisory Board member of Force Concepts Training, instills the importance of our profession,
with "We recognize our fundamental mission as criminal defense and due process investigators is the defense of the
United States Constitution with an emphasis upon the 6th Amendment." Within our agency, we have a strong Code of
Ethics with the preamble being "As Professional Investigators and Expert Consultants we are dedicated to search for
factual information through acceptable investigative procedures. It is our purpose to deal honestly, justly and courteously
with all whom we come in contact and to practice their profession according to this Code of Ethics."

These concepts, simple and natural to professional investigators, are important. It is also important for our clients - and
colleagues - to understand there are four basic outcomes to both legal investigations and expert consultations: 1) the
official investigation was competent, with the official findings consistent with the facts and evidence; 2) the official
investigation was not competent, with the official findings consistent with the facts and evidence; 3) the official
investigation was competent, with the official findings not consistent with the facts and evidence; and 4) the official
investigation was not competent, with the official findings not consistent with the facts and evidence.

Generally, we most often find 2 and 3 being the most common outcomes. This is not to state or imply there is any malice
- intentional wrongdoing - on the part of any persons. Mistakes happen, experience happens, and having the ability to
look after the fact and with all of the empirical evidence and circumstances before us, and because of the cases we
receive - those with great concerns, their may be some questions of competent investigations and findings. Keeping in
mind, those cases we do not receive, see or learn about are those in which the facts, evidence, and findings came
together as one - and those outcome are by far what happens. However, let's focus on the concerns of family,
defendants, and attorneys - those are in which they have founded concerns, enough so to contact our agency or yours.
Keep in mind, as professional investigators - our investigations have the very same possible outcomes; simply exchange
'official investigation' for 'legal investigation' or 'expert consultation'.
1) The official investigation was competent, with the official findings consistent with the facts and evidence This
really needs no explanation - all the pieces fell into place, and fit to form a clear picture of the event.

2) The official investigation was not competent, with the official findings consistent with the facts and evidence The
most common area of questioned competence here is the investigation did not follow a protocol, or was not
complete - perhaps both. Too often, in any investigation, the investigator or team find evidence that supports a

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