Posted on 01/29/2006 8:07:57 AM PST by Flavius
When Tammy Klein began investigating crime scenes eight years ago, it was virtually unheard of for a killer to use bleach to clean up a bloody mess. Today, the use of bleach, which destroys DNA, is not unusual in a planned homicide, said the senior criminalist from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. ADVERTISEMENT
Klein and other experts attribute such sophistication to television crime dramas like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which give criminals helpful tips on how to cover up evidence.
Prosecutors have complained for years about "the CSI effect" on juries — an expectation in every trial for the type of high-tech forensic evidence the show's investigators uncover. It also appears the popular show and its two spinoffs could be affecting how some crimes are committed.
"They're actually educating these potential killers even more," said Capt. Ray Peavy, also of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and head of the homicide division. "Sometimes I believe it may even encourage them when they see how simple it is to get away with on television."
A man charged in a recent double-homicide in northeast Ohio was a "CSI" fan and went to great lengths to cover his tracks, according to an affidavit filed by Trumbull County prosecutors.
Jermaine "Maniac" McKinney, 25, allegedly broke into a house, killed a mother and daughter and used bleach to remove their blood from his hands, prosecutors said. He also covered the interior of a getaway car with blankets to avoid transferring blood.
Prosecutors said McKinney burned the bodies, his clothing and removed his cigarette butts — which would contain his DNA — from the crime scene in Newtown Township, about 20 miles northwest of Youngstown.
He tried to throw some evidence into a lake, including a crowbar used to bludgeon one of the victims. The lake was frozen though and he shouted a profanity when the crowbar remained on the surface, according to the affidavit.
Investigators later recovered the evidence. McKinney, who was indicted this month on two counts of aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and other charges, could face the death penalty if convicted.
Cases where suspects burn and tamper with evidence seem to be increasing, said Chuck Morrow, chief of the criminal division in the Trumbull County Prosecutor's office.
"People are getting more sophisticated with making sure they're not leaving trace evidence at crime scenes," Morrow said.
Klein said most crimes aren't well planned and that detailed attention to prevent leaving trace evidence typically occurs in cases where someone has killed a family member or business partner.
"For the most part, our killings involve gang bangers who for the most part are pretty stupid," she said.
Sophisticated planning and concealment of evidence are aberrations, not the norm, said Larry Pozner, former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
"Most people who commit crimes are not very bright and don't take many precautions," Pozner said. "CSI and all the other crime shows will make no difference."
Yet in the six years since CBS, which did not return phone calls seeking comment, introduced "CSI," there's been a trend of fewer clues like hair, cigarette butts and the killer's blood left behind at crime scenes, Peavy said.
The more sophisticated the television story lines get, the better equipped criminals will be, Peavy said, adding that he never watches "CSI" because it's too unrealistic.
- msm feeding classified information towards the enemy
- msm publicizing enemy
_ msm generally
Oops.
I don't understand why this case is an example - they caught him anyway.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I admit I didn't think it would have this kind of effect. I'm wrong. Perhaps they need to be more tight lipped on technology being used for this purpose.
This is a two-way street I think. TV shows and media descriptions of investigative techniques as promote a complacency amongst criminals as well.
My brother calls this the "I'm a genius" factor. Some criminals watch a lot of TV, decide that its an accurate protrayal of the investigative techniques likely to employed against them, and then screw up huge and go to jail.
No Sh**. I was watching Forensic Files last night and the detective was telling how a rapist made his women take showers after their rapes which reduced the liklihood that evidence could be recovered and less likely that the women would report the crime. I wanted to scream at the TV STFU!!! You are just making for smarter criminals!
Most criminals are terminally stupid. These criminals get caught.
Some criminals are of normal intelligence. These criminals also get caught, but it's harder work.
Some criminals are extremely intelligent. They never get caught. They never have. They never will.
But they still caught him. He must not have paid enough attention...
The Libs will want to outlaw bleach, especially at Wal-Mart.
Exactly. The guy wasn't a rocket scientist. I really don't care for CSI, (my wife watches it). I prefer CourtTV's Forensic Files and Discovery Channel's The New Detectives as well as A&E's The First 48 and Cold Case Files.
"Anytime you do a crime, there's a hundred ways to get caught. If you can think of fifty, you're a genius. You ain't no genius." -- Body Heat
yeah wonder why this case is an example
guy made a dumb mistake
maybe they were trying to say they are having less success in catching people
you think?
It was like they were dialing a phone number, then waiting for the call back so they could trace the call.
Throwing evidence in a frozen lake...
not exactly a mastermind if you ask me
I agree with your anger that TV shows are making smarter criminals, however, the knowledge that taking a shower reduces evidence of rape has been out there for years. Its in the romance novels on sale at the supermarket. Granted, your average rapist is not reading romance novels, however if the knowledge has permeated that far its unlikely that a rapist is hearing about it for the first time on Forensic Files.
Face it, a sizable (and impressionable) amount of society gets their ideas from the media, whether it is radio, TV or print.
It's very sad. Unfortunately, the libs will still want to outlaw (or require registation to purchase) bleach, instead of going after the root cause.
Mark my words. Here in Phoenix in their effort to fight Meth labs, they've already required OTC non-prescription drugs like Sudafed to be "signed off" behind the counter, before purchase.
The other day, some law-politco wants to add "Drano" to that list. No kidding.
bump
There are 1,000 things that can go wrong or be missed in any crime, and a criminal would have to be a genius to account for half of them. Most criminals are not geniuses. All criminals leave some evidence of their crimes. Most serious crimes are solved. Don't blame the media. If police had their say, there would ne no guns, knives, rope, bleach, etc., etc., because they might be used in crimes.
This story is all sizzle and no steak.
Hey get me a story on how CSI is making criminals smarter, and include an example of where a criminal was influenced by CSI!
"The Libs will want to outlaw bleach, especially at Wal-Mart."
No, the "libs" will want a government sponsored program to give away free bleach to all the "poor, disadvantaged and oppressed" criminals out there.
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