Thursday, August 24, 2006

Five days?

Post: Case against Karr still being built:
Investigators discovered John Mark Karr's identity only five days before he was arrested in his Bangkok apartment, according to a court document filed Wednesday by the Boulder County District Attorney's Office.

In the days following the identification, authorities scrambled to arrest Karr quickly, fearing someone might tip him off first and allow him to escape, says the motion filed Wednesday in Boulder District Court.

The document confirms that a week since Karr's arrest Aug. 16, Boulder District Attorney Mary Lacy's investigation of Karr is far from being completed. It also says that the case against Karr is in its "very early stages" and was developed using evidence not previously disclosed about the 1996 slaying of JonBenét Ramsey.

More, but not new: Ransom note's link to Karr may be shaky:

Much has been made of expert opinions that say John Mark Karr's early longhand writing in a high school yearbook has similarities with the author of the ransom note found in JonBenét Ramsey's home.

But the practice of handwriting analysis, often called forensic document examination, is by no means as persuasive to a jury as other forms of physical evidence.

"This is an area of soft science in which you can find experts on both sides," said Craig Silverman [Craigie!], a Denver lawyer and former Denver prosecutor. "It's almost impossible to convict someone on handwriting alone."

We knew that. The Rocky ripostes rather pathetically with the egregiously obvious "DNA could identify killer, analyst says":

The DNA evidence in the JonBenet Ramsey case is solid, and there's a strong possibility it points to the killer, a self-proclaimed neutral observer and expert on DNA analysis said Wednesday.

Rock Harmon, a senior deputy prosecutor in Alameda County, Calif., said there's been spin regarding the DNA from two sides - those arguing for the Ramseys' guilt, and those promoting an intruder - but that attention must be paid to the biological evidence in JonBenet's underwear.

"It's there, it can't be avoided," Harmon said.

"Strange male DNA shouldn't be anywhere around a dead young girl."

Well, duh.

Peter Boyles is insinuating and even a little more that the Boulder DA's office is in such disarray over the case they're down to hoping Karr is killed in jail. What do they call pedophiles in prison? Boyles asks some flunky. Small eyes? Short eyes?

Update: Westword criticizes the Rocky's coverage of the case.

Update II: MSNBC says one of the lawyers defending Karr (I didn't hear which one) was cited three times for giving bad advice to clients.

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