There has been a dreadful double murder just a few miles from me. Two French students have been bound, gagged, beaten, stabbed multiple times, then their bodies set alight in the home of one of the young men. There seems to be no motive.
A little over two years ago I was on the jury in a case where a Chinese student was terrorised by two Chinese intruders, bound with plastic ties, threatened with a knife and put in fear for her life. With great presence of mind, while her hands were still free, she managed to text a housemate whose presence the intruders had not detected, telling her to call the police.
One intruder was arrested at the scene, but the more dangerous of the two escaped. The detective in charge of the case was humiliated by the judge for failing to follow up evidence that could have led to the apprehension of the other assailant, and even lied to the judge (telling him that a prepaid cell phone could not be traced, and that he did not have to follow up on the DNA from a cigarette, because the lab would have contacted him if they had retrieved some, so there can't have been any).
We convicted the man we had before us. But this new crime is extremely close in MO to the other one, and I just had a horrible feeling about it. I called the Incident Room this evening and gave them the story.
Only after I had spoken to them did I hear on the news that the men's credit cards are missing. In the previous case the convicted man was sent out with the young woman's ATM card, with the number he had scared out of her, to get money, and he dropped a bunch of cards when trying to escape from the police.
I have an even worse feeling now that if that detective had done his job, these two young men would still be alive.
A little over two years ago I was on the jury in a case where a Chinese student was terrorised by two Chinese intruders, bound with plastic ties, threatened with a knife and put in fear for her life. With great presence of mind, while her hands were still free, she managed to text a housemate whose presence the intruders had not detected, telling her to call the police.
One intruder was arrested at the scene, but the more dangerous of the two escaped. The detective in charge of the case was humiliated by the judge for failing to follow up evidence that could have led to the apprehension of the other assailant, and even lied to the judge (telling him that a prepaid cell phone could not be traced, and that he did not have to follow up on the DNA from a cigarette, because the lab would have contacted him if they had retrieved some, so there can't have been any).
We convicted the man we had before us. But this new crime is extremely close in MO to the other one, and I just had a horrible feeling about it. I called the Incident Room this evening and gave them the story.
Only after I had spoken to them did I hear on the news that the men's credit cards are missing. In the previous case the convicted man was sent out with the young woman's ATM card, with the number he had scared out of her, to get money, and he dropped a bunch of cards when trying to escape from the police.
I have an even worse feeling now that if that detective had done his job, these two young men would still be alive.
You must be very, very frustrated by all of this, Val. I don't know how police accountability rates in the U.K., but here in the states, it is pretty low. Police corruption is not uncommon, and their laziness/stupidity levels seem to be at an all-time high here in Chicago. Many people mistrust/fear the police as much as they do the criminals.
ReplyDeleteHere too, Snarkangel. 911 operators in Tacoma sometimes just tell people too bad, so sad, they aren't sending help. Cases are botched, mistakes made, & crimimals are freed to kill/rape again.
ReplyDeleteEvery detective in the world should be MADE to watch Bobby's techniques!
it happened 2 times, that my dogs scared off burglars. probably they saved my life.
ReplyDeletewhat happened to those students is more than sad; what an immense horror for their families and friends!!
That is scary and sad for the families. I hope the killers are caught.
ReplyDeletejazzy -that's one reason I always have dogs (besides that I love them).
I will never ever understand how someone can take another persons life,no matter what the circumstances.The details that have come out about this case make me afraid for everyone..and I hate feeling like that.The worst thing is that these days I have little expectation that the police will actually catch the people who did it,let alone that the courts will sentence them appropriately.
ReplyDeleteclaire, big hugs to your doggies :) (beloved bodyguards).
ReplyDeleteThe real problem is it appears we have a TOTAL breakdown of law and order (no pun intended!) in the UK. I wonder if there's anywhere else in the universe where you could make a Citizens Arrest of some kid throwing stones at your house, then when the police finally deign to arrive, you find yourself arrested for kidnapping! Murderers, no matter how heinous the crime, IF caught, - and unless they're doing 38mph in a 30mph zone, it's unlikely the police will bother too much - are likely to be sentenced to 'life' which tends to mean they'll be out in 12 years or so, and the tax payer will then fund a new identity and new life for them for the rest of their days.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, it doesn't stop with this crme. Last night the news was full of an item where a young lad had been tied to a tree, forced to swallow petrol and set alight.
What is going on? We had a murder here last week (which is very rare) a young girl was tied to her bed then her house was set on fire. Can you imagine her terror...
ReplyDeleteThe laws favor the criminals' rights, it seems. Like the cab driver in SF followed a thief w/ his cab and pinned him to a wall till the cops arrived, then the thief sues the cab driver in civil court for personal injury!!!
ReplyDeletePlease be careful out there Val!
i think the problem is, governments don't invests enough money for police-academies.
ReplyDeleteand they should do more to prevent crimes - education, apprenticeships for teenager etc.