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Dec-13-2004 06:24

I was working a hard case and I had narrowed the suspect list down to two people without alibis, with motives and with physical evidence against them both. Then I got witness evidence against one of them, who I then accused. My accusation was wrong. But if I had got witness evidence against the guilty person as well, how could I have chosen between them both as to who was guilty as they both had exactly the same evidence against them? Or should I just have quit the case?

Dec-13-2004 06:40

There is always eye witness evidence against an innocent person as well as a gulity person. If neither had a fake alibi you would need TWO eye witness aginst them with the physical evidence.

Dec-13-2004 06:50

I had a ton of similar problems, until I started a thread called: "False Accusations" - under Sleuth Talk (though I should have posted under the Newbie Talk, silly me lol), and I got some great replies - if you check that thread you'll understand what to do in that scenerio better I'm sure.

Dec-14-2004 01:30

when u say without alibi u probably mean they didnt tell u their alibi. then it could still be that they had a real one.
u need a fake alibi or that the person saying " no i dont have an alibi" then u know this one can be guilty.

Dec-14-2004 11:31

Reaserch ability sometimes helps in these cases

Dec-14-2004 17:24

Good answers!

I'll just add that I have never seen two people with TRULY no alibi or a fake alibi tied to physical evidence. So reda's point is an important one. You need a verifiable non-alibi - either stated or determined through process of elimination. Clamming about an alibi doesn't count as no alibi.

Also, two witness statements from suspects will make your accusation definite, whereas one accusation alone is still risky in my book.

Lastly, research is a great skill, but the person cleared by research is never tied to any physical evidence. I once thought I had this experience, but Ben said he could find no such cases in the database.

Dec-15-2004 03:37

Thanks for the responses guys. In this instance, both suspects had fake alibis AND physical evidence against them. So when I got the witness statement against one of them, I assumed that 2 co-oberrating pieces of evidence was enough. I didn't realise that you had to have 3!!!!!

Dec-15-2004 16:09

not possible to have two ppl with fake alibi and a PE against them. no way!

Dec-15-2004 16:54

I agree with reda. There should never be two people with fake alibis and physical evidence.

If you know the name of the case and when you played it, Ben might be able to check for you.

If not, I feel confident about saying that you should never encounter such a case in the future.

Just be sure your lack of alibis are provably non-alibis, rather than clamming, as I said above.

Dec-16-2004 15:27

Thanks for your help. Case is in the dim & distant past & I'm sure it's my error. Have tried to learn from my mistakes and have just solved a Really Hard case - by obtaining 3 pieces of evidence! Now I know......!

Dec-17-2004 11:26

And knowing is half the battle. G.I. JOOOE!!!