Forensic Files

Since my previous link had gone bad, here's a new one. I think they removed the original one because it was posted before the end of the story had occurred, that being her acquittal.

 

My impression was that she probably wasn't all that unhappy about the suicide, and may have had a hand in driving him to it but, from I know about it, I didn't get the idea she had killed him. I doubt she'd have been used as a model for a 1950s family show, but that doesn't make her a murderer.

I wasn't allowed in the courtroom to see or hear any of the testimony presented because I was a witness, but I noticed, from watching the Forensic Files video again, that they made an issue of the position of his hand and his body. Three of us arrived before the police. Myself (paramedic), Craig (EMT-I), and Johnny Cavazos, who was an EMT-I but also a Constable for the area so, while Craig and I began treatment on Mr. Mowbray, Johnny was still downstairs, talking to Mrs. Mowbray, perhaps realizing that he was the first law enforcement on the scene.

The picture was taken later when the Sheriff's Department arrived. As you can see from the picture, there is a backboard under him. This means that we had already placed the board beneath him, so we would have rolled him onto his side, placed the board, then rolled him back, sliding him the rest of the way onto the board. So the position of his body had been altered before the photo was taken. The left hand under his head may have even been something we did inadvertently during the move.

Although we knew he wasn't going to survive, he was still trying to breathe and we had a rhythm on the ECG, so we had to try to resuscitate. At the time, our protocol didn't allow us to declare death on the scene.

This was also one of the first calls I made as a paramedic, by the way.

 

A couple of days after the death, a couple of deputy sheriffs came for a copy of our run report. I told them they'd need a court order. They weren't happy about that but came back the next day with one. They treated me as if I were a part of their team, telling me that I didn't have to speak to the defense attorneys and that I shouldn't. I did, and they weren't pleased about that either, seemingly not understanding that I wasn't on anyone's side in the case. As it turned out, her attorney wasn't the brightest bulb. When I was on the stand, I was instructed to answer yes or no to the questions, and to not elaborate unless requested. Sometimes, my yes or no answers to the prosecutor's questions told a false story, but the defense never followed up on it.

 

I have been binge-watching Forensic Files for a few days now, which is why I came across the one that I am in. After having watched several seasons of the show, I have come to one conclusion. Don't commit murder if you have only one pair of shoes. In fact, you should wait before taking that step until you have accumulated at least another full set of clothing.

It's amazing how many people are caught because they still have the shoes that tie them to the murder scene, either through blood splatter, shoe impressions, or other evidence. In fact, these idiots often report for a police interview while wearing the same shoes they had worn to the murder. If not, they are found in their home somewhere. Come on, people. Shoes aren't that expensive. For God's sake, consider wearing a cheap throwaway pair to the murder. Oh, and it should go without saying, but doesn't. Leaving a path in the snow from the murder scene to your backdoor probably wasn't your best idea.

For that matter, consider your apparel in advance. Those fancy designer sports shoes that you're so proud of - leave them at home when you commit the murder. Wear something that doesn't have that cool tread on the bottom that can be traced to the exact store where you bought them. You might be the only person in the county who owns a pair just like them. My, aren't you proud.

Do you really need that ratty pair of jeans or coveralls that now have blood splatters all over them? Running them through the washer once won't do the job. Sometimes, they can even get DNA after you've run them through the washer and the dryer. Burn the damned things. No, no... you idiot. Don't burn them in your backyard.

 

Since nothing stays for long on YouTube, here's another embed of the Forensic Files episode.