GAgal, what do you think about the "on this image" remark about image #5? Sounds weird to me. Sounds like she has been shown other images of #5.
"How um, how sure are you of that on this image?"
Why the added qualifier about "on this image"?
Gottlieb doesn't follow up on #4 at all, and says something odd (to me) about #5.
I think the interesting communications on that lineup was probably 15 minutes before in another room.
No reason to believe otherwise in this case.
If what I've read is true, Gottlieb was a patrol officer for 15 years, working particularly with domestic violence cases. I bet he's seen many truly abused women and his sympathies lie with real victims.
Then he is promoted to investigator in February, and for some inexplicable reason, is put in charge of the biggest Durham case in memory, media frenzy wise. I think he and Himan, who only became a detective in January, are likely well meaning, honest cops whose lack of investigative experience led to the missteps we've seen. As far as Image 5 (Evans), Gottlieb's asking the accuser specifically "OK, so the person had a mustache?" cleared up any ambiguity Nifong could point to later. That's good.
Nifong may have used their inexperience and PC Chalmers absence as reason to insert himself inappropriately in this case. With 27 years in that office, Nifong has no excuse for his part in this fiasco. One of the "cliffhangers" to me is when will someone in the PD or DA's office break "the wall of silence" and tell the truth about what's going on there. As the pot bangers said, "Please come forward."