Investigative Review (Term Paper Sample)

Homicide Assessment: Investigative Review
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Investigation Review
Evidence in a judicial system is regarded vital in determination of any case. A verdict on a criminal case depends on the evidence that is presented in a judicial system. To that effect, a case with a shallow evidence collection may have case justice denied. Conversely, a case with a more evidence can be disputed easily. Judges and lawyers use the availed evidence in argumentation of a certain case. In most criminal cases, police and other special units are used to gather and collect information and evidence. Police then have an important role in investigation. In collection of information needed, various factors hinder these investigations and other factors facilitate collection of the necessary information as stipulated by the judicial system (Riedel 1995).
To gain the scope of importance of investigation, we have analyzed the case of O.J Simpson murder case. To understand the case, we have explored the investigation procedure of the case by police, various factors influencing the investigation procedure and also major hiccups encountered in the investigation procedures and how these factors affected would be avoided in future. The rational for conducting this investigation review was to determine the magnitude of implication of various factors to investigation process of various cases. From the study, recommendation to the investigation process can then be laid down in promotion of a fair justice system (Osterburg 2010).
Introduction
The O. J Simpson Case was held in Los Angeles Superior Court. The case involved a murder charge against O.J Simpson. A murder charge was brought forward by people of the state of California for allegation of killing his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and the waiter Ronald Lyle, one of Simpson’s friend. After ending their seven year marriage in 1992, O.J Simpson and Brown Simpson went in different ways. It was then on the eve of June 1994, that Nicole and Ronald had their bodies murdered at the homestead of Brown.
Main Elements of Investigation Analysis
Following the double murder incidents, investigation for the murder were impromptu. Every person living in the United States was curios to establish the person responsible for the two deaths. Basing in the occurrence of the two murder scenarios, O.J Simpson was the outright and obvious suspect. It would have taken a normal person just little time to figure out the guilty person in this case. For many people, the case was a matter of few evidence needed to screw the man guilty of the offence (Dershowitz 1997).
Crime blood scene was the first item to be used in gleaning the guilty person. From the scene, blood drops were identified and collected. Much of the blood was found at the back of the murder scene condominium. Additionally, bloody shoes prints were recognized leading way from the point of murder to the gate. Further, Simpson having a cut on his left finger after being interviewed pointed that, O.J Simpson sustained the injuries when he was involved in murder of the two people (Riedel 1995).
Bloody shoe prints leading away from the scene also aided in the investigation. The shoe’s print was to be used an additional evidence to glue the relevant person. The bloody shoe print collected matched with that of Bruno 12 size Magli shoe. The information about the shoe matched with the shoe size number 12, normally worn by O.J Simpson. An exact shoe print number print worn by Simpson is an indication that he was at the murder point and most likely, the man involved in the murder.
Hair is an important element in crime scenarios. To that effect, hair was collected at the murder scene of the two deaths. It was quite evidential that the hair that was collected at the murder point collided with the type of hair that Simpson has. The hair that was collected at the murder point was dark knit cap. Then it was identified that the hair fibers that was found, were similar to those that were also found in the floor of Simpson’s Ford Bronco with additional dark blue cotton fibers found on Goldman.
Bloody gloves found in a nearby set up also was used as evidence against Simpson. The two pairs of gloves with were being dark, extra-large and leather in material and where one of the gloves was found at the murder scene and the other one was found near the guest house pf Simpson. The correlation of the above information provided for the case to determine that one of the gloves worn by Simpson was lost while holding the other one. Further reports from the forensic identified that the genetic information provided from the scene denoted that Simpson was involved. During the court proceeding, it was also identified that the pair of gloves were bought by Ms. Simpson to Simpson when they were together in marriage.
Another compelling evidence was the bloody socks. The police and search agents identified socks with blood stains at the foot of the bed inside Simpson’s house. The socks though identified by the police several days after the incidence of murder was to be used as evidence of murder by Simpson. As denoted by (Hastie et al. 1996), this was enough evidence to indicate that Mr. Simpson was the murder or else involved in the murder.
Apart from the evidence, provided a shocking revelation of blood found at the door handle of Simpson’s Ford Bronco. The blood sample taken to the laboratory identified that some gene of Simpson and the victim were on the indicated blood sample. As a matter of fact, the blood mixture of the victim and the suspect depict that Simpson was the murderer and used the Bronco the crime scene.
The timeline of the murder act coincided with the time when barking was heard and a Bronco vehicle resembling that of Simpson was seen. The time was estimated to be 10:40. According to the witness, the Bronco stopped at Brown’s residence at around that time. Shortly after the Bronco stepped out of the house, dead bodies of Nicole Brown and Ronald Ryle were later found at 11:00 pm.
Violent past evidence was another evidence that was presented in the court. Violent past scenario were denoted from retrieval of messages from the emergency center 911 (Hastie et al. 1996). The message retrieved from 911 showed that Simpson was known to hit, degrade and stalk Ms. Simpson. The scenarios demonstrated pointed above showed that Mr. Simpson was jealous and demonstrated actions that leads to hurting of his wife. Sister to Nicole Brown also tested on the above.
Major Errors and weaknesses
Despite much evidence presented by the prosecution side, O.J Simpson was not found guilty of the murder offence. The major reason behind the non-guilty verdict was due to the fact that evidence presented had major flaws and weaknesses. The defense team used the weaknesses to argue to their advantage.
The manner of collection of evidence was done in a vigorous way. After the allegation were done to Simpson for the murder, the police and other detective agents used brutality to acquire the information they needed. Use of force made possible the allegation of interfered blood samples. The chance of interference rendered the DNA information collected invalid.
Another factor that caused flaw in gathering of evidence was the mishap in coordination of investigative officers. As denoted by (Schuetz 1999) poor coordination of lead to poor collection of information. Poor coordinated information can be easily disputed by the defense team.
Absence of a documentation platform offered chance for non-validation of the evidence. Due to the above allegation of non-documentation, chances of inclusion of information after information gathering.
Time delay in investigation also led to errors in the case (Riedel 1995). There was much time spent after the crime was committed and the time the evidence was collected. The murder act happened in June 13 and it took 4 days for the government officials to arrest Simpson who was the main suspect. It took two months for the police to denote presence of bloody pair of socks at the end of the bed of O.J Simpson. This was not considered an effective evidence.
Credibility of officers may render the evidence to be considered irrelevant. Officers with the reputation damaged reputation from the past were known to produce information that would be biased. Mark Fuhrman had a negative attribute towards the people of African origin and his evidence was declared invalid.
During collection of information, blood sample that was taken by a detective was not properly stored in the right place. The police officer who took a blood sample of Mr. Simpson was accused of contamination when he kept for many hours before submitting it (Peterson 2006).
Prior information of violence by Mr. Simpson was not indicated before the commencement of the trials. The defense team argued that information obtained was irrelevant and there was a possibility of being doctored to favor the trials.
There were major barriers leading to source of evidence. The barriers were enhanced by much anticipated protocols that had to be observed in any instance of evidence collection. The police officers has to liaise with administration rather than recording the evident at that moment.
Major Suggestions
From the weaknesses above, various suggestions can be raised. The suggestions will aid in improving conditions in future
Being honest with the jury is the first step that would aid in investigations. Applying honest approach will ensure that no contradictio...