Un-&%$^#@* believable (CHANDRA SHINBONE FOUND BY LEVY INVESTIGATORS, 25 YARDS FROM SITE)

Talking Points Memo ^ | Jun. 26, 2002 | joshua micah marshall

[aristeides]

(June 6th, 2002 -- 11:18 PM EDT //

Un-&%$^#@* believable. Despite giving them a hard time now and then I've always resisted the idea that the DC cops were really fundamentally incompetent, that the seeming inscrutability of Chandra Levy's disappearance and murder might simply be the result of ridiculously inept police work.

Now I've changed my mind.

As you no doubt know, Levy's remains were found recently in an isolated section of DC's Rock Creek park.

But a couple days ago a fellow Chandra-phile and I were watching Greta Van Susteren's show when she and a couple guests -- a renowned forensic pathologist and a retired DC cop -- did a walkaround through the area where Levy's remains were found. What they found a bit disconcerting was that there was a lot of stuff there that the police hadn't bothered to pick up -- a shoe, an empty condom wrapper, some rope, and some other stuff.

Almost certainly this stuff had nothing to do with Chandra's death. But it certainly could have. And certainly tons of people are going to go to the spot over the coming days and weeks to see the area and if this was evidence it'll be gone or compromised before long. The point is, you pick up everything and go through it to see if it might have any relevance to the case. (I know they're overflowing with hot leads and all but ...)

Anyway, it seemed like they'd done a pretty shoddy search.

Well, today the two Levy family investigators -- former DC cops -- went to scene to see what they could find. And what did they find? A sock? Panties? Some hair that might have been Chandra's?

No. Try her shin.

They found what appears to be her left tibia. (The bone hasn't been DNA tested yet. But on the basis of size and wear the DC Medical Examiner told the Washington Post that his "working hypotheses is that it comes from Chandra.")

The bone was apparently some 25 yards from where Levy's skull recovered. But this isn't like a toe or something. It's like a foot long.

It simply beggars belief.

[GeorgeHL]

Is this Captain Ramsey any relation to Monica Lewinsky??HMMM

[Bernard]

Are these police officers allowed to carry weapons? Isn't that scary if they do?

[aristeides]

The hanger-gauge wire was found still around the bone, according to one report I read.

Got a link?

[GeorgeHL]

Are these DC police castoffs from the LA Police?? they can't find a shin bone 75 feet from the skeleton remains and the duffus gang out in LA can't see a boys body in a swimming pool. Where do these guys get their training? at the Braille home for the Blind??

[My Identity]

Where do these guys get their training?

Dunkin' Donuts School of Detectivery

Krispy Kreme Kops Kollege

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Did they find the fibula?

Why do you ask?

Is the fibula connected to the...shinbone.

[Snowy]

there is no mention of cadaver dogs. A good cadaver dog would have found the clues long ago. If D.C. didn't use them, then they truly are incompetent.

[Semper Paratus]

Professional murders now know where to dump their bodies.

[aristeides]

No doubt they are incompetent, but I strongly suspect they didn't want to solve this case.

[Delbert]

dc cops are "ducking forks".

[SarahW]

No, sorry, that's just rumour right now... it was a comment by another freeper that the wire was found on the bone. I haven't heard or seen any media confirmation, will let you know if I do.

The Washington post article about the shin find, however, says the wire was found "near the bone" ...it doesn't specify exactly how near. It does say the wire was in a figure 8, which is exactly what shape it would be in if someone used it to bind ankles together.

[newzhawk]

it goes without saying- if you want to get rid of someone in Washington DC- do it in a Fed Park or at least within the city limits. Vince Foster was dumped down a "steep ravine" and no one was interested in interviewing anyone linked to the case

[afz400]

Exactly. The D.C cops primary mission is to keep Congressmen and Senators from being convicted of crimes that they know they have comitted. The DC cops power is based on their ability to blackmail people.

[ArGee]

Professional murders now know where to dump their bodies.

As I understand it, the safest place to dump the bodies is in Ramsey's back yard.

Shalom.

[KC_Conspirator]

But a couple days ago a fellow Chandra-phile and I were watching Greta Van Susteren's show when she and a couple guests -- a renowned forensic pathologist and a retired DC cop -- did a walkaround through the area where Levy's remains were found. What they found a bit disconcerting was that there was a lot of stuff there that the police hadn't bothered to pick up -- a shoe, an empty condom wrapper, some rope, and some other stuff.

I watched that special as well. Sometimes I might chalk Greata's efforts up to some sort of television stunt, but it actually was excellent. They found all these items within 100 yards of Chandra's remains. Rope and stockings? I mean c'mon already. The DC police are inept as it gets and Greta and company were onto something.

[Freedom2specul8]

I saw a portion of greta's discovery on tv..the part where she discovered ''old knee high panty hose''... There's nothing we can do about this at all is there...? WRT:the private investigators...what are they doing that the cops aren't? The PI's should have been used in the DVD case too..

[Wolfie]

...what are they doing that the cops aren't?

Relying on good performance on this job to get their next.

[Freedom2specul8]

It seems like they were picking and choosing what items to keep as evidence and what not to. I understand they have to quarantine the crime scene..or rope it off..but by what standards to they measure the perimeter? Why can't they search the area around the roped off part?

[Freedom2specul8]

That makes perfect sense... are you saying that the standards are lower w/the police because of that? I wonder how common this is?

[RightWhale]

The fibula is the thin bone next to the tibia. If the fibula was found, they would probably [just a guess for the forensic pathologist] notice the tibia was still missing.