Archive for the ‘Crime Scene Investigation’ Category

Fatal Fire In Lakewood, NJ, Caused by Release of Natural Gas to an … – MidJersey.News

November 2, 2023

LAKEWOOD, NJ (OCEAN)Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on November 1, 2023, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department were summoned to the Lakewood Housing Authority on Sampson Avenue for a report of an explosion that developed into a structure fire. Responding Officers observed a male victim, later identified as Ronald Prichard, 67, the sole occupant of the housing unit, to be suffering from serious injuries. Mr. Prichard was transported to Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus, in Lakewood, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

A thorough and extensive investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Lakewood Police Department Township Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshals Office, and Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, revealed that the origin of the explosion was in the bedroom of the housing unit, and the cause of the explosion was the release of natural gas to an open flame.

Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the Ocean County Prosecutors Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Lakewood Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshals Office, and Ocean County Sheriffs Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collective assistance in connection with this investigation.

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Fatal Fire In Lakewood, NJ, Caused by Release of Natural Gas to an ... - MidJersey.News

Police pictured digging for the remains of mum of three killed ten years ago – Yahoo News UK

On Wednesday (October 18), crime scene investigators were seen at the site close to the A19 looking for the remains of Rania Alayed (Image: NORTHERN ECHO/GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE)

Specialist crime scene investigation teams have begun digging land near the A19 for the remains of a mum of three who was killed ten years ago.

Rania Alayed, 25, died after she was killed byher husband Ahmed Al-Khatib in 2013, with prosecutors saying that he murdered the woman at his brothers flat in Salford, before disposing of her body at the side of the A19.

The body of the Syrian-born mum-of-three has still not been found more than tenyears after she was killed, despite numerous efforts from police to find her remains.

Read more:Desperate search for body of murdered Teesside mother by A19 near Thirsk

Extensive searches have taken place throughout the years, including one on a BBC documentary that looked for answers for Rania's family.

At the time, Al-Khatibsaid he had buried Rania, who moved from Norton in Teesside to Salford in 2013,between trees near the A19 in Thirsk.

On Tuesday (October 17), Greater Manchester Police confirmed that it had been given clearance to dig land near the A19 for the remains ofRania Alayed, following "new information" coming to light.

Rania Alayed (Image: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE)

A spokesperson for the police force said: We are carrying out a detailed search in relation to recovering the body of Rania Alayed.

"Following new information from a non-recent investigation, GMPs Major Incident Team have been authorised to begin looking at land on the side of the A19 near Thirsk.

Officers will be on location to carry out a thorough search of the area identified and will keep disruption to the local community to a minimum, with no wider risk or threat to the public.

Pictures from the scene on Wednesday (October 18):

"GMP remain committed to finding Rania and will act on all available lines of enquiry when it is possible to do so to help bring some form of closure to her loved ones ten years on.

On Wednesday (October 18), crime scene investigators were seen at the site close to the A19.

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A lay-by between Thirsk and Northallerton has been cordoned off, while several cars were parked in the lay-by, and a shipping container can be seen at the site.

On Wednesday morning. at least ten officers were at the scene, while a digger could be seen next to a small clearing in some trees on the side of the A19.

Following his wife's murder, Al-Khatibwas sentenced to life with a minimum of 20 years in prison. His brother Muhanned Al-Khatib, of Salford, was found not guilty of murder but had already admitted perverting the course of justice by hiding Rania's body. He was jailed for three years.

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Police pictured digging for the remains of mum of three killed ten years ago - Yahoo News UK

Inside the jury room of a recent child sexual assault trial What … – Bennington Banner

The jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer. -Robert Frost

BENNINGTON Vermonts famous Poet-Laureate might not have been too far off in his tongue-in-cheek comment. Preconceived notions by jurors and expectations on how things should look and work can sometimes muddy the waters of what the reality often is. Pop culture - movies, books, and true crime television - can foster unrealistic expectations of courtroom drama, leaving prosecutors and defense lawyers far short of those preconceptions and adding to the misunderstandings.

Last week in Bennington, the four-day trial of a 51-year-old male accused of sexually assaulting a young child repeatedly for several years ended in a mistrial. The jury made up of three women and nine men were unable to reach a consensus in one direction or the other on the fate of the defendant.

The Banner sat down with one of those jury members and spoke about what happened inside the deliberation room, what evidence made any impact, what the jurors were missing, and what - if anything - could have made a difference.

Wayne Powers, 55, was arrested in 2019, accused of three charges: repeated aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual assault of a victim under 13, and lewd and lascivious conduct with a child.

According to police affidavits and the live testimony of the alleged victim at last weeks four-day trial, the abuse occurred between 2012 and 2017. It was not reported until 2019 because the child was scared to say anything.

It took five years for the trial to take place. After a four-day trial and four hours of deliberations, the jury sent a note informing the judge they were hopelessly deadlocked.

John Clift, 76, a first-time juror from Manchester, was one of those jurors. He reached out to us after the mistrial to talk about what happened.

This was one of the more disappointing things I've ever experienced, Clift said. It was poorly run by both attorneys. I wouldn't want them to advise me about how to tie a shoe.

Clift told us the main issue for him and several other jurors was not the testimony, or evidence - but the presentation of their message and the delivery of said evidence. That, he told us, made a big difference.

I thought that the attorneys were just horrible, Clift said. The prosecuting attorney was mild-mannered. I'm sure he's a nice man. I assume he's knowledgeable of the law, but there was no commitment or display of passion.

"Presentation goes a long way in all situations. And I thought his presentation and his demeanor and so forth was horrible. The defense attorney was slightly better, but it was much referring to notes without any flow, no effective storytelling. No compassion for the case.

We definitely deal with this all the time, said Bennington County State's Attorney Erica Marthage, when told of Clift's comments. The popularity of true crime shows, you know, started with shows like CSI (Crime Scene Investigation)."

Marthage said the reality is that the overwhelming number of cases they deal with, particularly violent crimes, have very few independent witnesses. And they typically have very little science-based evidence.

We talk about it in training new attorneys, Marthage said. It's very difficult to overcome what people expect they're going to see when they walk into a courtroom because it's been dramatized on television for so many years.

When asked what was going through his mind during the presentation of evidence, Clift said he thought the witnesses were "okay," maybe a 3 or 4 out of 10, but that the whole case lacked any passion. He went into the deliberations unsure of guilt or innocence. Clift said the jurors took an initial vote right after getting the case. That first vote was 7-5 in favor of acquittal.

I thought everything was pretty good. I mean, there were lots of intelligent people in that room. People wanted to be sure.

He said the only contentiousness came regarding the grandmothers testimony, with one person in particular becoming very outspoken about her.

He told us that the grandmother could not be trusted, that he knew her or something like that, not personally, but he knew of her and had heard various things.

Clift said after that first vote, they deliberated for about an hour back and forth and then had another vote which leaned more toward an acquittal, 10-2, with two people holding out.

The jury then requested to review the taped interview of the then-7-year-old victim. After the jury saw the video for the second time, another vote was taken. This time, it was 8-4 in favor of acquittal. At that point, Clift felt the jury was deadlocked and that no one was going to change their mind. When asked if he feels the jury gave it enough time to reach a verdict, Clift said a definite Yes.

My attitude at that point is, I think what's best for this young boy is that there is a mistrial. Hopefully, a second shot at this brings more evidence that can be collected, and a better job can be done. I just thought the whole thing with the lawyers was so bad. I just thought these guys were incompetent.

"My overall opinion was, 'This is just ridiculous. Nobody on either side is really being represented.' It was such a lack of evidence. The guy could be completely innocent. A person's life is at stake. Both lives are going to be imperiled by whatever the result is. It was a horrible situation. The presentation of that evidence is critical because we don't know, right?

This has been a horrible experience because of the two lawyers, Clift said. I just think the system that produces this kind of expertise in this critical situation with lives involved was horrible. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a minus three. They were both poorly represented and deserve much better treatment on behalf of the system.

"If this actually happened, it's horrible for the young boy. Hes got to live with that for the rest of his life. If Mr. Powers is innocent, I mean, how horrible is that? I feel empathy for both sides, because it was so poorly handled, in my opinion. I just didn't feel anything from them (the lawyers). It just wasn't a passionate argument. It was a little detached. Thats a shame.

Marthage says there is variability in how attorneys present their cases, but Hollywood-esque histrionics shouldn't replace simple presentation of facts to the jury.

Everyone has a different trial demeanor, Marthage said. We are supposed to bring trial cases on the evidence and the information we're presenting. Some trial attorneys are more passionate in their presentation than others. Frequently, that can get in the way of a fair and just trial. The cases that end up being appealed or end up being post-conviction relief cases are the ones where you have an attorney that's essentially like someone you would see on TV.

Marthage cited the Leonard Forte case, also involving the sexual assault of a minor, as a good example.

The trial judge overturned Forte's conviction because he said that the prosecutor cried and was 'overly emotional.' It's our job to present the facts and only the facts. At the end of the day. It's about the facts. The fact is people expect these things. This is what we're dealing with. It's frustrating. A lot of time and energy went into presenting that trial. Everybody presents things differently.

"This is a tough topic: child sexual abuse. It's one of those that you're not going to have physical evidence in many of these cases. Often, its just the statements of the victim. That is the evidence. That's a matter of law, and that's something that is very difficult to overcome when we have everyone that watches too much TV and listens to True Crime podcasts.

For now, Powers is a free man. Prosecutor Alexander Burke told the Banner soon after the trial ended that he intended to re-try the case, but there is never a guarantee that a new trial will happen. Witnesses sometimes change their minds or refuse to testify, stories can change, defendants may pass, and evidence can fade with time and memory. There is also no guarantee that given time, there will be any different result.

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Inside the jury room of a recent child sexual assault trial What ... - Bennington Banner

DeLand Police investigating shooting Downtown, no active shooter … – The West Volusia Beacon

Update, 3:20 p.m. Police confirm officer-involved shooting

The DeLand Police Department confirmed a shooting that occurred earlier today, Aug. 25, was an officer-involved shooting that left one adult male dead.

No officers or deputies are injured, the department said.

Police did not confirm which law enforcement agency fired the shots that left one man dead.

AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care Manager Chris Knecht was inside his store when he heard shots fired.

We all hit the floor, he said.

Looking out the window of the business, Knecht reported, Theres a guy dead right out in the middle of the street, lying under a blanket.

Woodland Boulevard remains closed from Voorhis Avenue to Euclid Avenue.

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The DeLand Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred earlier this afternoon near the intersection of Woodland Boulevard and Euclid Avenue.

There is no active shooter, city officials said.

The city could not confirm whether anyone was injured. Woodland Boulevard is closed near the area so police can investigate.

According to people who were nearby at the time, the shooting is believed to have taken place near the AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care shop at 460 S. Woodland Blvd.

Manager Chris Knecht said he was working earlier today when he heard a shot just outside of the shop.

We all hit the floor, he said.

A crime scene investigation truck in front of the auto shop is just one of the many vehicles that make up the heavy police presence near the intersection of Woodland Boulevard and Euclid Avenue. Volusia County Sheriffs and DeLand Police officers, detectives and a mobile crime scene unit were present on the scene.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

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DeLand Police investigating shooting Downtown, no active shooter ... - The West Volusia Beacon

Key progress made in rebuilding Queensland’s DNA and forensic … – Media Statements

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women The Honourable Shannon Fentiman

The rebuilding of Queenslands DNA and forensic services has taken a significant step forward with the recruitment of eminent scientists and the start of consultation on a proposed framework to govern Forensic Science Queensland.

The Palaszczuk Governments Workforce Attraction Incentive Scheme has led to the appointment of three leading scientists to senior management roles.

The three scientists bring with them a combined experience of more than 50 years in forensics, with backgrounds in biology, crime scene investigation and human remains identification.

The appointments form part of FSQs push to attract the best and brightest talent to help position the organisation as a leader in DNA and forensics analysis.

The addition of new scientists comes amid the start of consultation on the draft Forensic Science Queensland Bill, which aims to support the functions of FSQ.

Consultation is being undertaken with key stakeholders in criminal justice, forensic science, health and victim support groups, who will all have the opportunity to provide feedback on and inform the progress of the draft Bill.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman:

Rebuilding Queenslands DNA and forensic services to the highest standard is a complex and challenging task, but todays announcements are a significant step towards achieving this goal.

The appointments of the three individuals speak to their desire to contribute toward our vision of delivering a DNA and forensic service that sets the benchmark for others to follow.

As with any organisation, the success of Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ) will hinge significantly on building a team of respected and qualified experts in their fields.

The Queensland Government has been clear in its commitment following the Commission of Inquiry: we want to restore the publics confidence in DNA and forensic services.

It is why we are investing more than $95 million to manage the body of work stemming from the Inquiry, building FSQs foundations and recruiting the right people to help the organisation succeed.

Quotes attributable to Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Yvette DAth:

Restoring confidence in Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ) and its role within the justice system is a key commitment of the Palaszczuk Government.

It was never going to be a quick process, but these new appointments show the Queensland Government is making progress.

The Government has always said we would rebuild FSQ from the ground up and leave Queensland with a facility that was the envy of the world, and this is just the next step in achieving that goal.

Work is well underway to draft the Forensic Science Queensland Bill, which will provide a statutory scaffold responsive to the Commission of Inquirys recommendations.

The Palaszczuk Government looks forward to hearing feedback from stakeholders on the draft Bill.

ENDS

Media contact Natarjsha Kramer 0456 436 934

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Key progress made in rebuilding Queensland's DNA and forensic ... - Media Statements