“Closure” and “Finality” Ring Hollow with Victim’s Families
Bryan Kohberger’s lifesaving plea has been accepted and he now resides in the care and custody of the Idaho corrections system. Presumably, for the rest of his life. He was not asked, nor did he volunteer a statement with an explanation or motive for the attacks, nor...
To Live or Die? He was Given a Choice: His Victims Were Not
In Part 2 of the discussion, Bill addresses how Bryan Kohberger used the Idaho death penalty statute to his advantage and eluded a jury decision that could have resulted in his death by a firing squad. Idaho, like most states with a death penalty statute relies on a...
4 Slaughtered in Idaho and Their Killer Pleas for Mercy
There is no crime as alarming as the report of vicious, unexplained homicide. Multiply that by four, and learn that the victims are all college students and their community is a small town where acts of violence are rare. Add that the victims were butchered with a...
Do I need a Search Warrant? Let’s talk about it!
The 4th Amendment protects people from “unreasonable searches” by government officials. All other searches require a search warrant. How does a judge determine what is reasonable and what is not, and when is a warrant required to search? In the 1967 decision of Katz...
Search and Seizure and the Rules that Govern the Process
In this episode, Bill and Jordan begin a thorough examination into the complex subject and nature of investigative searches and seizures. The 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prevents government officials from conducting “unreasonable searches and seizures”....
Evidence: The Focus is on Quality not Quantity
The “weight of evidence” in a criminal trial does not refer to quantity. It is about the relevancy, credibility and persuasiveness to convince one side’s argument over the other. It is about the strength and reliability of what is presented, and the overall impact,...
Meaning of Evidence
Bill and Jordan return after a short winter break and pick up where they left off. Opening with a short recap of the last two episodes, they speak of the differing roles and responsibilities of first responders at crime scenes. Bill offers some insight into their...
Initial Cares And Concerns at a Crime Scene
Nothing elevates a police officer’s blood pressure quicker than a radio call dispatching them to a potentially violent crime scene. Thoughts of a swift and safe arrival are quickly overridden with cares and concerns of what they may encounter on arrival, and how they...
How Policing Works
Characterizing someone based solely on their choice of clothing says more about you than it does them. This is especially true when talking about police officers who dress for work in a distinct, identifying uniform prescribed, designed, and mandated by the authority...
The Distinctions between Criminal and Civil Law and Why they Matter
Have you ever considered or been curious about the substantial differences in the standard of proof in a criminal vs. civil court action? Why does one require the heavier burden of proof of “beyond a reasonable doubt” and the other simply a finding of a “preponderance...
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