'Two Gunshots on a Summer Night'

[Dick Whitman]

New York Times, please collect your Pulitzer:

http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/two-gunshots/

The essentials are this: A 23-year-old woman, dating a police officer, was shot to death. Witnesses heard them arguing right before. They heard her yell, "Help!" And that's just the start of the murkiness surrounding the investigation by his colleagues and co-workers, which seemed to have began with the conclusion that her death was a suicide, then worked backward for there.

"Frontline" is dedicated this week to the case, as well.

Amazing journalism.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

St. John's Sheriff office trying to defend itself on FB. Not getting much support:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/st-johns-county-sheriffs-office/important-information-from-sheriff-shoar/773501362667446

 

[qtlaw]

Damn, talk about a coverup.

The Upside Down Gun Theory; beautiful. Go sell that to a jury.

There should have been a civil suit against the deputy which would not require law enforcement's approval.

 

[Bradley Guire]

I'd love to see a gun that moves forward when fired. That'd be new to me.

 

[qtlaw]

How likely is it that

(a) right-handed person is going to kill themselves left-handed;
(b) they are going to turn said gun upside down;
(c) they are going to miss fire; then
(d) said gun will move forward (anyone in investigation take physics?) and cause cut above eye?

Yeah, suicide alright.

 

[Dick Whitman]

"Frontline" on this last night was terrific.

Most chilling was when they brought him in for after-the-fact questioning and the cop conducing an interview jokes with him to, "Sit in the comfy spinny chair, not the suspect chair," and they both get a hearty laugh. They also get a good laugh together when she asks him if he was drinking the night of her death and he says, "Bud Light, big ones."

The one thing that gives me pause are her text messages about making sure her daughter has a good life. The family said she was fearing for her life because she was breaking up with him that night. That's plausible. More plausible would be that she was planning to commit suicide later that night.

It also seems to favor his version that she was shot in the mouth.

 

[qtlaw]

"Frontline" on this last night was terrific.

Most chilling was when they brought him in for after-the-fact questioning and the cop conducing an interview jokes with him to, "Sit in the comfy spinny chair, not the suspect chair," and they both get a hearty laugh. They also get a good laugh together when she asks him if he was drinking the night of her death and he says, "Bud Light, big ones."

The one thing that gives me pause are her text messages about making sure her daughter has a good life. The family said she was fearing for her life because she was breaking up with him that night. That's plausible. More plausible would be that she was planning to commit suicide later that night.

It also seems to favor his version that she was shot in the mouth.

What's more dependent on context, the texts or the fact that the coroner relies on a left-handed, upside down gunshot for a right-hander? The texts are not conclusive IMHO. The forensice evidence is close to conclusive. Without seeing all of the evidence (wish I could), the percentages say he's the killer.

 

[Dick Whitman]

"Frontline" on this last night was terrific.

Most chilling was when they brought him in for after-the-fact questioning and the cop conducing an interview jokes with him to, "Sit in the comfy spinny chair, not the suspect chair," and they both get a hearty laugh. They also get a good laugh together when she asks him if he was drinking the night of her death and he says, "Bud Light, big ones."

The one thing that gives me pause are her text messages about making sure her daughter has a good life. The family said she was fearing for her life because she was breaking up with him that night. That's plausible. More plausible would be that she was planning to commit suicide later that night.

It also seems to favor his version that she was shot in the mouth.

What's more dependent on context, the texts or the fact that the coroner relies on a left-handed, upside down gunshot for a right-hander? The texts are not conclusive IMHO. The forensice evidence is close to conclusive. Without seeing all of the evidence (wish I could), the percentages say he's the killer.

I think so, too.

 

[HC]

I don't know how anyone could watch that or read the article and arrive at any other conclusion than homicide.

 

[Bradley Guire]

How likely is it that

(a) right-handed person is going to kill themselves left-handed;
(b) they are going to turn said gun upside down;
(c) they are going to miss fire; then
(d) said gun will move forward (anyone in investigation take physics?) and cause cut above eye?

Yeah, suicide alright.

The ghost of George Reeves was impressed by that suicide theory.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

The fact the sheriff's office did not immediately step away from the investigation into a death involving one of its own is mind-boggling.

While I think the investigation was fouled up there is not a lot of "proof" she was murdered. It's more of a case of what is not there - such as his DNA on the gun. But there'a also no smoking gun regarding prior any domestic abuse.
This case has been handled, re-handled and reviewed so many times it would be impossible to convict, muchless try him on charges stemming from this. It's too fouled up now.

I also don't believe a police conspiracy theory. A powerful sheriff is NOT going to risk his job for a 23-year-old deputy. Why? What's the motive to protect this kid - if he's a murderer? Assuming this guy has friends on the force, you should also assume there are some good, honest investigators there as well, who want to see justice done.


The fact the brother has come to terms with his sister's death? I don't know what to make of that.
Family members have a VERY hard time coming to grips with suicide. VERY HARD.

I think the crime scene was altered. And there are a lot of questions and square pegs being forced into round holes, but good luck trying to produce this into a murder.