Page 12 - Unusual Deaths - AFI-LLC Newsletter September 2021

Unusual Deaths – Or Are They - AFI-LLC Newsletter September 2021

News From Around Our Profession
We are dedicated to sharing important news from clients, colleagues and friends
about the news - good and bad - from and about our profession. Our thanks to all
who help contribute. Feel free to email us with any news you have about you, your
agency, your association, and others...

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Court to Evaluate Validity of Forensic Ballistics
On 02/17/2018, 74-year-old Mary Jackson and her pregnant granddaughter, 33-year-old Tiffany Byers, were found shot
to death at home. The body of Byers’ husband, 45-year-old Aaron Byers, was later found in a shallow grave on a
property owned by 37-year-old Paul Brock, who was later convicted of the homicides. A forensic ballistic examination
determined all the bullets from all the bodies came from the same weapon. The defense expert testified to his concern
with the validity of the peer-review process used by ballistic examiners. Following a Daubert hearing, briefs are to be
submitted and a judicial decision made before the 09/08/2021 trial begins.
-- continued at https://blog.expertpages.com/expertwitness/court-to-evaluate-validity-of-forensic-ballistics.htm

One Impressive Projectile
(Dr. Jennifer Johnson – Evidence Technology Magazine, courtesy of Academy of Forensic Nursing)
It is not every day that an examiner evaluates an individual with two entrance wounds and two exit wounds [from one
gunshot]. The following case will showcase the physical presentation of a self-sustained gunshot wound.
-- continued at https://read.nxtbook.com/wordsmith/evidence_technology/august_2021/case_study_gunshot.html

When Going Left is My Right
(Aaron ‘Al’ Duncan II, ACTAR, Senior Vehicle Reconstructionist – Warren Forensics, SC)
The lines on the roadway determine the right-of-way. Did you know a passing zone could limit your right-of-way?
There are rules to passing that people forget; some are laws, others are just common sense. Let us take a look at the
laws and what sometimes slips by people that can cause an unsafe pass. State laws may differ, so consider these for
South Carolina roadways.
-- continued at www.warrenforensics.com/2021/08/19/when-going-left-is-my-right
This is an excellent article for any legal investigator involved in any motor vehicle collision litigation and determination of
liability. The points made should be considered in all of our investigations. Stay tuned for next month, as we share some
of our experiences and insight, thanks to the importance of this article.

Private Investigators and the Criminal Justice Act
(Steven Mason – Mason Investigative Solutions - AZ)
A little-known fact is that private investigators are available at no cost to indigent defendants charged with federal
crimes. Private investigators can be a very important part of the defense. An estimated 85% of what occurs at a criminal
trial directly results from work done outside of the courtroom. A defendant’s chance of being acquitted or having
charges reduced is significantly increased when a private investigator is involved.
-- continued at https://masoninvestigations.com/2017/08/07/private-investigators-criminal-justice-act

This Day in History (August)

We present these noted days in history as may be interesting to fellow investigators. Follow the link to each story – as
most have hidden gems and tidbits. These include the first PIs solving crimes, early and modern forensics, posthumous
findings to a conviction, etc.

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