Officers Face Evidence of Their Violence in a California Courtroom

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

Family Photo of Kelly Thomas

As I’ve shared many times on this blog, I have had the honor of shadowing some amazing police officers and learning about the risks they face and the split-second decisions they must make all the time.  I have the highest respect for the men and women who determine law enforcement to be their professional calling.  So, when two men appear to degrade the uniform through excessive, deadly force, I get angered on behalf of all the great cops out there.

Many of you will recall the videotaped beating death of homeless schizophrenic man Kelly Thomas last summer in California.  Officer Manual Ramos and Corporal Jay Cicinelli, along with four other officers who have not been criminally charged, allegedly hit Thomas, exhausted a taser on him, and eventually beat him unconscious.  Thomas died five days after the incident.  This week, a preliminary hearing is taking place in Orange County to determine if the officers will stand trial.

Kelly Thomas met his violent fate after not cooperating fully with the officers when they responded to reports of a homeless man peering into car windows.  On the videotape, Thomas screamed that he couldn’t breathe and that he was being killed.  He cried out for his father, who was present in the courtroom to watch the tape of the beating.  Both officers have pleaded not guilty to the charges they face.

How do you react when you see stories like that of Kelly Thomas?  Do you see such incidents as isolated examples that don’t reflect on a police force as a whole?  Or, do you worry that there are more events like this that take place and we just never hear about them?

Of course, these two men are innocent until proven guilty and the justice system will run its course.  I’m just wondering what gut reactions are in this instance.

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Author Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.com/
Crime Watch Blog: http://emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Compulsion  Dead Game  Dark Mind  Silent Partner  Screenwriting
Posted in crime, Police | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

First Watch – A Short Story

Posted on May 8, 2012 by

I’ve been a big fan of all types of horror stories throughout my life.  I love to write thrillers and will always stay true to them, but I’d also like to branch out into another genre – horror suspense.

I’ve just released a short story on Amazon: First Watch

Synopsis:

What started out as a routine traffic stop on a deserted country road, turned into a terrifying battle of life and death. Could all the horror stories be true?

The chase is on…

First 3 Sentences:

I ran northeast to the railroad tracks through the night in pitch-blackness.  I knew they would track my whereabouts with their keen animal senses and unrelenting proficiency.   There was a shortcut to get to the next county down a winding rural road, but only scattered memories of the roundabout trail would be my guide.  As the intentional target, it propelled me out in the middle of a hellish nightmare and straight into the bowels of the undead.

Want more?

Be sure the keep ALL the lights on!

First Watch is FREE for Amazon Prime Members and only .99 cents regular price.

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Author Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.com/
Crime Watch Blog: http://emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Compulsion  Dead Game  Dark Mind  Silent Partner  Screenwriting
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Winners of DARK MIND eBook!

Posted on May 7, 2012 by

April 17th I posted a photo of a tree and asked readers to identify it to receive a free ebook copy of Dark Mind – Click here

Thank you to everyone that left comments!  This was a tough challenge!

The correct answer: California Pepper Tree

 

These amazing trees were planted in California along with Olive trees at the historic mission sites.  This particular tree resides at Mission San Juan Batista.  Some of these trees are a couple of hundred years old.  The trunks have so much character and individuality that I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos.

Winners are as follows in no particular order:

Shayns

Melanie Pearce

Tina Glasneck

LozarPaula

Congratulations!

Please leave a comment on this post or email me directly on the blog – your email address, preference to Amazon Kindle gift or ebook pdf file.

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Author Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.com/
Crime Watch Blog: http://emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Compulsion  Dead Game  Dark Mind  Silent Partner  Screenwriting
Posted in Dark Mind | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Crime Scenes Tell a Story

Posted on May 5, 2012 by

There’s a story behind everything we see, hear, and behind every person we meet.  Our perceptions and experiences can overshadow obstacles that we are faced with in the future.  Working a crime scene is one of the most difficult tasks that a person can undertake.  It takes an objective and experienced person to read and process all the clues found at a crime scene.

Understanding and interpreting a crime scene is much like a three-dimensional puzzle, generally with more questions than answers.  However, the exigent circumstances are that the investigator needs to come up with some answers immediately and hopefully the name and whereabouts of the perpetrator.  This is most crucial during a homicide investigation when there’s a killer on the loose.

Basically, the crime scene in the preliminary investigative stage is divided into four categories: evidence, witness(es), suspect(s), and crime theory.  After the carefully orchestrated crime scene investigation is completed, the investigator or forensic examiner must begin the daunting task of putting the pieces together in order to tell the story of what happened and why.

Discussion should be open to and remedied in regard to the observer effects and forensic examiner bias when it comes to interpreting crime scene evidence.

An observer effect is when the results of evidence at a crime scene are distorted due to the mental state of the examiner.  This can happen when a particular examiner is influenced by expectation and desires.  This can have an effect on the law enforcement and prosecution objectives to the investigation.

Evidence is interpreted based on the experience of the examiner.  This is can be a potential problem.  Forensic examiners must confront ambiguity and subjectivity of the evidence.  It sounds simple enough, but can prove to be a challenge for anyone.

There have been some great recommendations to curb the observer effects when interpreting crime scene evidence.  It’s basically a checks and balances approach.  First, being aware of the potential for bias.  It’s also important to filter the irrelevant information, such as the victim and witness’s statements and backgrounds, investigative and attorney theories, results of the forensic examination, and the type of offense that was committed.  Another helpful tactic would be to restructure the crime lab to have different personnel perform the various duties of response, assistance, evidence examination, and crime scene reconstruction.

Undoubtedly, working any crime scene is demanding, challenging, and extremely difficult.  There are so many things that incorporate into this working condition.  I respect all those hard-working individuals who take this challenge every day.

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Author Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.com/
Crime Watch Blog: http://emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Compulsion  Dead Game  Dark Mind  Silent Partner  Screenwriting
Posted in Criminology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thriller Thursday Guest — Author Carolyn Arnold

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

I welcome Thriller Author Carolyn Arnold today!  I LOVE Thriller Thursday!  I’m very excited to showcase Arnold’s work and I highly recommend checking out her books with one kick-ass heroine.  How could I not love these books?

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Book Synopsis:

Detective Madison Knight concluded the case of a strangled woman an isolated incident. But when another woman’s body is found in a park killed by the same line of neckties, she realizes they’re dealing with something more serious.

Despite mounting pressure from the Sergeant and Chief to close the case even if it means putting an innocent man behind bars, and a partner who is more interested in saving his marriage than stopping a potential serial killer, Madison may have to go it alone if there’s not going to be another victim.

Buy TIES THAT BIND on Amazon for Kindle and in Print

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Now, on to my thriller half-dozen questions, hold onto your seat…

Jennifer Chase:  If Madison was trapped in an elevator with three other people, how would she devise a plan to escape?  Would they take any of the people with them?

Carolyn Arnold:  Madison would make sure everyone got out, somehow.  She’s probably utilize the maintenance hatch in the top of the elevator, if all other endeavors failed, such as emergency and cell phones.  She’d have Terry do the hoisting lol

Jennifer Chase:  How do you get inside Madison’s head when writing?

Carolyn Arnold:  There are times I close my eyes to hone in on the emotion, yet a lot of the time I watch my characters unfold in front of me, like a movie.  Their actions, reactions and words tell me what’s in their minds.

Jennifer Chase: What’s your specific genre?  If you could write in any other genre, what would it be and why?

Carolyn Arnold:  My main genre is mystery and thriller.  If I wrote any other genre, it would be romance because this is where it all began for me, when I was a teenager.

Jennifer Chase:  Why should readers pick up your book TIES THAT BIND?

Carolyn Arnold:  Readers should pick up TIES THAT BIND if they are fan of television shows such as Law & Order, and CSI.  Reviewers have also compared this book to JD Robb’s “In Death” series.  If readers are looking for a strong, female lead, they’ll fall in love with Madison Knight.

Jennifer Chase:  What types of emotions will readers experience when they read your book?

Carolyn Arnold:  The entire spectrum—I hope.  There are moments of anger, sadness, regret, and of course humor is sprinkled in.

Jennifer Chase:  Now, it’s time to play word association with Madison.  Please respond with one word that comes to mind (in your main character’s voice) to the words listed below.

Carolyn Arnold:

plot – justice

2012 – love

predator – killer

giggles – Terry

rural – manure

omnipresence – God

Thank you Carolyn Arnold!

Author Bio:

Carolyn Arnold is the author of several novels in various genres.  Her mystery novels Ties That Bind and Justified have reached best seller status on Amazon United States for Kindle.  Her FBI thriller Eleven released November 2011, and made it on The Miami Books Examiner’s ‘Top 12 Fiction Books of 2011′ list.  She currently lives with her husband, and two beagles in a city near the well-known Canadian center Toronto.

Where readers can find Carolyn Arnold and learn more about her books:

Amazon Author Page

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Posted in Guest Post, Thriller Thursday | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Eyewitness Sketches Can Vary Widely

Posted on May 2, 2012 by

Have you ever wondered about the accuracy of an eyewitness sketch?  Someone who has never seen the perpetrator sits down with a piece of charcoal and says, “OK, tell me what he looked like.”  Not only are you dealing with the artist’s interpretation of a description, but when you bring in multiple witnesses who each may have seen things differently, the idea that the criminal is going to come face-to-face with one of these sketches and think he is looking in a mirror is unlikely.

Of course, that’s not to say the sketches created in police stations are not valuable and that they haven’t been essential in leading to the capture of numerous rapists, robbers, and murderers.  But, take a look at a recent blog post published by Dr. Karen Franklin over at her site that focuses on issues of forensic psychology and criminology.

In the post, Dr. Franklin shares multiple images of sketches taken of the “Teardrop Rapist,” who is believed to be responsible for nearly thirty rapes in the East Los Angeles area over the past sixteen years, over the course of about twenty-four months.  The face shape and facial features vary widely, as do the number and placement of the teardrop tattoos, and the height and weight that is provided next to the picture.  Just check out the latest release from the Los Angeles Police Department . . . “They think he is between 5-feet-2 inches and 6 feet tall and weighs between 130 and 200 pounds.”

Wanting an accurate representation of this rapist has taken on renewed interest as the DNA from this wanted man has recently been linked to another rape after a five-year hiatus of no reported incidents.  This leads investigators to believe they may need to be comparing their sketches to men who recently ended a five-year stint in prison.

Check out the blog post on Dr. Franklin’s site.  It’s just another eye opener into the amazing job that our men and women in uniform do even when the evidence is subject to the human eye and its errors.

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Author Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.com/
Crime Watch Blog: http://emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Compulsion  Dead Game  Dark Mind  Silent Partner  Screenwriting
Posted in crime, Criminology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Face of a Future Veterinarian or Crime Fiction Author?

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

It’s hard to believe that I was two-years-old once – and yes, the photo posted above is indeed me with my first dog, just waiting for the fascinating world to unfold in front of me.  The possibilities seemed endless.

I have to laugh because even as I write this post I seem to mimic my earlier, wee self with that serious expression, bare feet (always barefoot when I’m writing), and my large Lab napping next to me.  Some things never change…

Believe it or not, I didn’t like to play with dolls; rather, I preferred stuffed animals, my favorite tea set, loyal four-legged buddy, and of course books, books, and more books.  Adventure was everywhere through my eyes.  I had quite the imagination for stories about animals.  By animals, I mean any wild creature that I heard about or saw in books: black panther, mountain goat, creepy eels, dolphins, etc.  I was fascinated with all the animals that roamed, swam, or flew on the planet.

By the time I was five, I had things figured out.  Or, so I thought.   First, I wanted to be an actress and then spend my spare time as a veterinarian because I wanted to help animals.  Noble ambition, I suppose.

I thought about becoming a veterinarian for some time while growing up and I was even accepted to the University of California at Davis, which is known for their veterinary program.  I know some of you are probably thinking why didn’t I become a FBI agent, cop, or investigative crime reporter?

Life, as they say, is a journey.  Ups and down, good and bad, but always quite the voyage nonetheless.  One of the constants in my life, as I’ve worked in the corporate world and then later becoming a consulting criminologist, has been writing.  I cannot explain it, but writing would always be on my mind even when I was sitting in a staff meeting or buried under a mountain of accounting paperwork.  My mind wandered to storylines about murder, mysteries, and those who struggle to find the truth and expose the bad guys.

The pushing factor for me as a writer was when a violent sociopath moved in next door.  I have mentioned this before in previous posts about the man who stalked, threatened my life in hideous ways, and harassed me for more than two years.  From that point on, all bets were off.  I had found my niche. I learned a lot about myself and I submerged my skills and academics into an area of crime fiction and crime scene investigation.

I never thought that I’d be writing about a vigilante detective hunting down serial killers in my award-winning Emily Stone Thriller Series.  It’s interesting how life hands us some tough obstacles, but in the end it only matters what we do with them.

What has been the biggest change in your journey?  

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Author Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.com/
Crime Watch Blog: http://emilystonecrimewatch.wordpress.com/
Book & Crime Talk:  http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase
Books: Compulsion  Dead Game  Dark Mind  Silent Partner  Screenwriting
Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments