From crime scene to morgue to courtroom, and finally the court of public opinion, this riveting narrative is essential reading for true-crime enthusiasts. If you think the media has told you everything there is to know about Michael Jackson and Casey Anthony, think again! This engrossing, almost cinematic page-turner, offers never-before-published information on the mysterious deaths of Michael Jackson and Caylee Anthony, plus five other ripped-from-the-headlines criminal cases. Based on the authors' long investigative experience, these two insiders offer revealing insights into the following high-profile cases: -Casey Anthony: An assessment of the Trial of this Century, during which a Florida mother stood accused of killing her young daughter, Caylee. At stake were issues that included accuracy of air sampling and cadaver dogs, post-mortem hair banding, chloroform, duct tape identification, computer clues, and deep family secrets. -Michael Jackson: The authors provide never-disclosed data on the autopsies of Jackson’s body and a microscopic view of the singer’s life and career, plus analysis of the cardiologist charged with his death: Was Dr. Conrad Murphy recklessly negligent or a fall guy for a hopelessly addicted celebrity? -Drew Peterson: Heroic Illinois SWAT team cop or wife killer? Did his third wife slip and fall in the bathtub, or was she beaten and drowned? The controversy over her death led to an exhumation and the filing of homicide charges against him, but can prosecutors prove their case? And what happened to his fourth wife, who remains missing? -Rolling Stone Brian Jones: Was the rock musician’s death an accident or something more sinister? And was he impaired by drugs or alcohol when he died? After more than forty years, there is finally an answer. In addition, the authors examine the tragic death of twelve-year-old Gabrielle Bechen, whose rape-murder changed her community; Col. Philip Shue, whose demise was a battle of suicide versus homicide until Dr. Wecht solved the case; and Carol Ann Gotbaum, a respected Manhattan mother who died in police custody in Phoenix.

If you have only a vague concept of what forensic science is, this book will provide the answer.

With lucid text, four-color illustrations, and abundant examples, Criminal Evidence follows the path of evidence From Crime Scene to Courtroom. Focusing on the Federal Rules of Evidence and their state counterparts, Derek Regensburger offers a clear introduction to the principles of evidence and instructions for collecting, preserving, and presenting evidence in a criminal case. The book surveys the major concepts of evidence law such as relevance and burden of proof, discovery, admission of expert witness testimony, impeachment of witnesses, character evidence, hearsay, authentication of physical evidence, and more. Actual trials and news excerpts bring the material to life as they illustrate the role of evidence in real cases. Videos of mock trial scenes on the book’s website reinforce students’ understanding of key concepts. New to the Third Edition: A new chapter on trial practice and witness preparation Streamlined discussions of the exclusionary rule, Miranda rights, and rape shield laws Updated material on eyewitness identification and admission of confessions, particularly the modification of the corpus delicti rule by many state courts Changes concerning the reliability of forensic evidence due to the release of the 2016 report on the issue authored by the President’s Council on Science and Technology, including the FBI’s rejoinder to that report New and expanded sections on bloodstain pattern analysis, arson investigation, and handwriting analysis New and updated practical examples and Evidence in Action articles to feature more recent events, including the Kyle Rittenhouse trial Professors and students will benefit from: Straightforward text that follows the evidence from collection to trial Accessible three-part organization I. The Collection and Preservation of Evidence II. Pretrial Matters III. Admissibility of Evidence Four-color photographs and exhibits that illustrate evidentiary concepts Evidence in Action, observed in real trials and news excerpts Practical examples that apply legal concepts through hypothetical scenarios Review questions and application problems at the end of each chapter test students’ mastery of the material Short mock trial scenes on the companion website that illustrate key concepts discussed in the text

This text offers an innovative approach to learning about crime scene investigation, taking the reader from the first response on the crime scene to documenting crime scene evidence and preparing evidence for courtroom presentation. It includes topics not normally covered in other texts, such as forensic anthropology and pathology, arson and explosives, and the electronic crime scene. Numerous photographs and illustrations complement text material. A chapter-by-chapter fictional narrative also provides the reader with a qualitative dimension of the crime scene experience. Crime Scene Investigation is further enhanced by the contributions of such recognized forensic scholars as William Bass and Arthur Bohannon.

The fascinating field of forensic science can be challenging to understand. Written for non-scientists, or those with limited scientific knowledge, this book covers the three main areas of an investigation where forensic science is practised: at the scene of the crime, in the forensic laboratory and at court. The fourth edition of this popular book features a new chapter on identifying an individual, including biometrics and a new chapter covering digital crime. The book has been updated throughout, keeping readers at the forefront of current practices across the forensic disciplines. Ideal for anyone studying forensic science or law, this book details how crime scene and forensic examinations are conducted in the United Kingdom, courtroom procedures and the role of the expert witness. It is an excellent source of information for anyone with a role in an investigation, including the police and crime scene investigators.

In The Social Life of Forensic Evidence, Corinna Kruse provides a major contribution to understanding forensic evidence and its role in the criminal justice system. Arguing that forensic evidence can be understood as a form of knowledge, she reveals that each piece of evidence has a social life and biography. Kruse shows how the crime scene examination is as crucial to the creation of forensic evidence as laboratory analyses, the plaintiff, witness, and suspect statements elicited by police investigators, and the interpretations that prosecutors and defense lawyers bring to the evidence. Drawing on ethnographic data from Sweden and on theory from both anthropology and science and technology studies, she examines how forensic evidence is produced and how it creates social relationships as cases move from crime scene to courtroom. She demonstrates that forensic evidence is neither a fixed entity nor solely material, but is inseparably part of and made through particular legal, social, and technological practices.