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To: UCANSEE2
Tell me, if you would, what the statistical probabilities that a bug expert from an ISLAND with a TROPICAL environment and different species and varieties of insects would give a more ACCURATE rending of the investigation than a LOCALLY BASED EXPERT that was ON SCENE with the BODY and did his investigation?

I am guessing where the prosecution is going by the reference to the activity of the animals at the scene and the questions of the bug guy about how the fly's got there (his answer was they were there).

Hawaii is an interesting place. Within each valley formed by the volcano there are places that have no outside access to other areas. Each area is like a little island.

A scientist familiar with Hawaii is not going to to assume that what takes place in one environment is true for another environment. I believe the prosecutor is going to provide two angles. First, he will make the case that the larva got there much later by animal activity (flies following the animals). Second, he will provide other evidence of the time of death (ie the amount of damage done by the animals, the condition of the body etc.)

He will give the juror's at least some basis to discount the bug guys and at the same time keep their other conclusions consistant.

My best guess.

1,010 posted on 07/23/2002 12:15:28 PM PDT by VRWC_minion
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To: VRWC_minion; All
Just looking a bit for stuff related to flies in the desert - or not in the desert - anyway - came across this - it's not scientific mind you - but seems relavent. Here's the link

Here's a snippet from this guy's journal (my bold)....

"Friday, October 19 Today I drop 5000 feet down Sheep Canyon to the floor of Death Valley. In order to conserve my dwindling supply of water, I begin my hike in the cool of the morning well before dawn. The hike coming down Sheep Canyon is beautiful with dramatic views of Telescope Peak in the beginning as I drop about 1200 feet down a steep minor ridge into the soft, sandy streambed of Sheep Canyon. My legs are a little burnt from my peak climb yesterday, so It's a relief to get down into the relatively flat canyon bottom, and aside from a few minor manageable dry waterfalls, the hiking is pleasant and easy. The canyon closes in at several places, and the sheer cliffs and Utahesque erosional features in these tighter spots make for a dramatic descent. I reach the bottom by 10:00 a.m.. Steve and Lawrence are picking me up tomorrow about a mile and a half from here just outside the mouth of the canyon, so I've got nothing to do for the rest of the day. I thought this would be a good thing. I find a shady spot, read my book (David Darlington's "The Mojave"), but when I set up my little nest with my sleeping pad, I find myself besieged by numerous extremely large, aggressive and persistent flies. I'd hike around, and get out of the moister, shady areas where they like to hang out, but I'm so low on water I really can't afford to do anything but just sit here. I become obsessed with trying to kill the flies, and nearly destroy my book which I'm using as a swatter when I realize that (a) I'm becoming a little to obsessed with the flies and (b) no matter how many I kill, there's more to take their place. So I consign myself to the incessant buzzing, and just lay there, trying to read, and eyeing my water jealously wondering how long it will last me.

The day takes a turn for the better once the sun starts to go down and I am free to hike out of my fly-ridden little hole. So I hike out to the mouth of the canyon and bammm! There it is, the wide open, panoramic heart of Death Valley I with the lowest point in the U.S., Badwater, just north of me and the towering Panamints with majestic Telescope peak (11,049') dominating the skyline directly in front of me. As the sun goes down, and the sky turns a dark purple, I see the strangely reassuring, soothing sight of two or three sets of headlights moving surreally slowly and silently in the valley below. I go to sleep a little thirsty, and in that foggy transitional state between consciousness and sleep, I imagine that there are glacial streams running out of the Black Mountains, rippling right by my sleeping bag.

Death Valley is like the desert of all deserts - right?

1,034 posted on 07/23/2002 12:50:48 PM PDT by mommya
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To: VRWC_minion
The only problem I have with your theory
(and Dusek did try to broach the subject of the dryness. Lack of food, Water. He tried, dryness, then wetness, then normal,abnormal, anything that would work to his advantage. None did.)
is that you assume that a desert environment has no insects.

This is completely wrong.

1,041 posted on 07/23/2002 1:00:31 PM PDT by UCANSEE2
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