Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Bulletin: Daniel Dougherty; Philadelphia; Ongoing arson/murder retrial: Nationally known fire consultant testified for the defence "about the twin phenomena of flashover and full-room involvement, and how the latter can quickly cause so much destruction that it's impossible to determine where or how a fire began. That's what happened in this case, he said. The cause should have been listed as "undetermined." That Quinn thought he could identify not just one but three separate points of origin within the ruins, Lentini said, showed "a very poor understanding of what's possible in fire investigation."..."No one testified, in 2000 or at the current retrial, that they saw Dougherty strike a match or flick a lighter. No one said he disliked his children or talked about setting a fire. Dougherty's original trial attorney failed to challenge Quinn on the science, which ultimately led an appellate court to grant a retrial." Reporter Jeff Gammage. Philadelphia Inquirer.



http://www.firehouse.com/news/12188495/expert-no-scientific-basis-for-arson-ruling-in-fatal-85-pa-blaze