Does spelling count?

I wonder if my old age is making me less tolerant. I somehow just don't want to tackle an article in which the author can not even verify the correct spelling of a surname in a notorious murder case. Often we IDIs, as those who believe an intruder did it are often called, face criticism for refusing to even read much less give serious consideration to some of the utter tripe that is written on this case. Similarly, those who believe in flying saucers or multiple personalities often criticize non-believers for being too dismissive of various "evidence" that true-believers are fond of touting. The JonBenet Ramsey case has featured a handwriting "expert" whose qualifications consisted of experience as a sales clerk in a store that sold pens. Yet even that so-called expert, much beloved by the RDIs, managed to spell JonBenet's surname correctly.

So what should I make of the following? Is it worth my pondering this at all? Or should I simply dismiss from consideration any article wherein the author attempts to rope in some tangential reference to JonBenet Ramsey in order to buttress his arguments on a totally different topic?

"The scandals about sexually abusive priests ... [are] part of the fallout from a half-century of insidious sabotage by ultraliberal revisionists."

"The percentage of sexually abusive priests is notably higher among non-Catholic clerics and the number of offenders higher for secular schoolteachers -- a fact that the media persistently refuse to note."

"The present furor, though partly justified,..." (Did the author really say that the present furor over pedophile priests is but partly justified)?

"We condemn child pornography as criminal but applaud the parading of little girls, such as Jonbenet Ramsay, in beauty contests and teenage rock stars who do pole dances in concert before mobs of idolatrous children."

"Our violent reaction against pedophilia may be prompted by the ... mental equivalent of pedophilia that the media incessantly spew." (Ah,,, I get it. The author is asserting that the fault lies with the media not the pedophiles).

Excerpted from: American Thinker of April 11, 2010
Salvaging the Wreckage of the Catholic Church by Paul Shlichta.


Frankly, I think I'll not bother with it and will simply move on to an email I've received concerning a mid-western blackjack player's legal action after the casino tried to bar him from playing because he is a card-counter who made sixty-five grand in two years while getting free drinks from lovely ladies. Ah,,, what a life! And much more fun than tackling the work of authors who refer to JonBenet "Ramsay".

wong about Patsy

I noticed in the Entertainment section of PR-Inside, Cina Wong a handwriting expert that worked on a civil case that arose from the murder of JonBenet Ramsey will be guest on Talk Forensics. The show airs Sunday at 4PM on blog talk radio. Too bad, I wont be able to make it but if I was able to I would have several questions for Ms. Wong. Since Ms. Wong's CV is only available by request here are some questions off the cuff; perhaps she ot the show host, Larry Daniel will pop by and try to answer these for us:

Where did Ms. Wong receive her education?

What does the certification process look like to become a "Board Certified Document Examiner"

What 'board' and where can we find more information about the "CDE".

In what scientific journals may find peer reviewed research on Ms. Wong's 'forensic' methods?

What kind of independent validation testing has been performed on Ms. Wong's method?

Where can we locate litigation independent validation of Ms. Wong's methods and findings?

What sort of method of method replication documentation is available for review?

What are the possible error rates of Ms, Wong's method and where can we locate the underlying statistical analysis?

Was Ms. Wong admitted, restricted or excluded in the case Wolf v Ramsey?

Where may we find a courtroom history and itemization of Ms Wong's expert testimony as admitted, rejected, restricted or rebutted under Daubert and Frye?

Here's the announcement--

Forensic Handwriting and Forgery Expert Cina Wong is this weeks guest on Talk Forensics

"CINA WONG, Forensic Handwriting and Forgery Expert To Be On Talk Forensics This Sunday, September 13th at 4pm eastern..."

About the Show:

The purpose of our show is to educate and entertain the public on the various fields of forensic science, crime scene investigation, missing person searches and various aspects of the legal system as it relates to forensic science. You can call (646) 727-3674 and ask questions of our Expert Guest during the live show. About our host: The host of our show is Larry E. Daniel. Larry is the primary expert for Guardian Digital Forensics. Larry is well known for his work on capital cases and is an expert in computer forensics. Larry also writes a popular internet blog on forensics at http://www.exforensis.blogspot.com/

The show airs on www.blogtalkradio.com/TalkForensics each Sunday at 4PM Eastern. Shows will be available soon after on iTunes as pod casts."

seeing the killer

After JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in 1996 authorities, media, psychics and the general public have been all over the board with criminal profiles in sometimes pointed speculation that JonBenet's killer was a woman, and or a Ramsey. This occurred despite less that 3 weeks after the murder it was established there was male DNA left on JonBenet's undergarment and that this male DNA did not belong to any of the Ramseys. Twelve years later, leaps in proven technologies, it is broadly recognized this same unidentified male left DNA from 3 of his bodily sources in 4 different locations on JonBenet's person.

There are signs that someday emerging technologies like forensic molecular photo fitting will produce an image of this evil person. On the path of research and development toward photo fitting and much closer to real life application is the capability of extracting basic personal characteristics and associating the killer's relatives from DNA. These general characteristic techniques can pinpoint race; height; hair or eye color are now being put through the expected legal, ethical and privacy paces so that once released for appropriate use this information will be of tremendous benefit in creating a verifiable criminal profile in many cases, including JonBenet's. In the meantime that new task force over at Boulder PD submits weekly the killers DNA profile to CODIS on the chance they may get a match to one of the 7m+ criminals whose DNA profile is contained in CODIS.

Offender profiling, outside what characteristics found in crime scene DNA will eventually tell us, can be a risky business most especially for a layperson. It is not replicable, validated and tested meaning it does not qualify as science in standard. Sort of like handwriting analysis or forensic linguistics. Because these practices are qualitative opinion based methods admissibility of results and expert opinions can be challenged, frequently limited, in state and federal courts. Criminal profiling can be useful investigative tool where it is understood by users that it's application is subject to unestablished fault and error rates, again like document examination and linguistic stylistics.

Offender profiling by subject matter experts like John Douglas is can be of high investigative value based on education and experience, often a source of clues in a specific crime scene as derived from historical crime conditions and behaviors of known criminals. With that in mind, and somewhat more realistic than attempting to tie guilt to someone wearing the same clothes two days in a row, because there was a sexual element to this crime we may have more hints to ponder about JonBenet's killer than in 1997--

He is most likely of Caucasian descent

He is now probably at least in his mid-forties

He may be shorter than the average in height

He could be left-handed

In the past, prior to the crime, he might have had a head injury

May prefer alcohol over street drugs

His choice of victim may have been totally random

Is likely to feel he suffered more than the victim; lack of empathy for the victims

Ramseys update own probe
1997, Denver Post
By Marilyn Robinson

"Frustrated at the pace of the police investigation, JonBenet Ramsey's father stepped up his efforts Wednesday to find her killer...

• JonBenét's killer may have been suffering from some stress in the weeks and months preceding the crime;
• A triggering event, such as a job crisis or crisis in a personal relationship may have caused this individual to vent anger, perhaps at a female close to him, or perhaps at me personally;
• Since the murder, this individual may rabidly read news reports of the investigation, listen to talk radio shows oriented to coverage of the murder;
• He possibly has increased his consumption of alcohol or drugs;
• He may have even turned to religion;
• He may be rigid, nervous and preoccupied in casual conversation;
• He may have tried to appear very cooperative with the authorities if he was contacted during the course of the police investigation;
• He may have quickly constructed an alibi for his whereabouts the night JonBenét was killed and may have repeated it several times to key individuals around him as if rehearsing them in the answer;
• The killer is someone who may have previously been in my home..."