RELEASE: "CSI on trial," published on September 2, 2014 (and being screened this week) by KQED on September 2, 2104. The entire 58 minute documentary which premiered on November 22, 2010 can be viewed by clicking "watch now" on the right hand side of the screen at:
http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/csi-trial-0
GIST: "When does solving a crime become a crime? An innocent man confessed to murder and forensic evidence supported his confession. The real killers confessed, but they were ignored by the police. Across the nation, criminal convictions are being overturned due to either incompetence or deliberate misconduct in crime labs. How did Nebraska's foremost CSI fall under suspicion of faking evidence? "CSI on Trial" follows what went wrong in Nebraska and, What we can learn from this tragedy."
The entire KQED release can be found at:
http://www.kqed.org/tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=20073
See also the "CSI on trial" web page (on which the entire one hour documentary can be viewed);
http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/csi-trial-0
GIST: "When does solving a crime become a crime? An innocent man confessed to murder and forensic evidence supported his confession. The real killers confessed, but they were ignored by the police. Across the nation, criminal convictions are being overturned due to either incompetence or deliberate misconduct in crime labs. How did Nebraska's foremost CSI fall under suspicion of faking evidence? "CSI on Trial" follows what went wrong in Nebraska and, What we can learn from this tragedy."
The entire KQED release can be found at:
http://www.kqed.org/tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=20073
See also the "CSI on trial" web page (on which the entire one hour documentary can be viewed);
False confession. Fake evidence. "It became one of the most controversial crime stories in recent Nebraska history. NET News investigated the case and shares the story in the fascinating documentary CSI On Trial. In
2006 a shotgun-toting killer murdered a respected farm couple in their
Murdock, Nebraska home. Before it was over two innocent men spent nearly
a year in jail, the real killers were caught on a lucky break, a crime
scene investigator was put on trial for planting evidence, and a family
was left confused and divided over how it all could have happened. Investigative
journalist Bill Kelly of NET News spent a year attending trials,
interviewing key participants, and reviewing thousands of pages of
documents. His research unveils a case that put police procedure out in
public and on trial. It’s also the story of how creative work by a
crime scene investigator followed one key piece of evidence…a single
gold ring… that revealed the identities of two killers on the verge of
getting away with murder. The investigation: Why
were two men jailed for a murder they didn’t commit? Learn more about
why police arrested the wrong men and how the real killers were caught. The false confession: Why did Matt Livers, an innocent man, confess to murder? Watch his police interview and find out more about false confessions. The fake evidence: What led respected CSI David Kofoed to plant evidence? Watch key court testimony and see the evidence. Resources: More information about integrity in crime scene investigation and the people featured in the show. The real confession: Jessica Reid was convicted of two counts of first
degree murder along with Gregory Fester. Reid spoke to NET News while
in the Women’s Correctional Center."
http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/csi-trial-0
See Northwestern Law release October 28, 2013. "Matthew Livers: Nebrask officials to pay $1.65 million settlement for fabricating evidence and coercing false confession. Authorities still owe apology to Matthew Livers; Matthew Livers has settled his civil suit against the Nebraska State Patrol investigators and Cass County, Nebraska, Sheriff’s Deputies for coercing him to confess falsely to the brutal murder of his aunt and uncle and fabricating evidence to make the false charges stick. Under the settlement, Livers will receive a total of $1.65 million ($1 million will be paid by Cass County; $600,000 by the State of Nebraska; and $50,000 by Douglas County, Nebraska). The settlement is compensation for Livers’ seven months of pretrial incarceration while the false charges were pending. Livers also sued David Kofoed, the disgraced former head of the Douglas County Crime Scene Investigation Unit. A judgment of liability has been entered against Kofoed, and the court will determine the amount of damages Kofoed must pay in addition to the settlement amount. “By any measure, the conduct of all of the defendants was morally and legally reprehensible,” said Locke Bowman, Executive Director of the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center. Cass County and State Patrol investigators extracted the confession from Livers, who is intellectually limited, by threatening to “piss” on him and to “hang [him] from the highest tree.” Kofoed planted the victim’s blood in a car in order to further frame Livers, and Kofoed was convicted and served 18 months for felony evidence tampering. When the identities of the true perpetrators were uncovered, the Cass County and State Patrol deputies manipulated and coerced them into concocting a false story that Livers and they had committed the murders together. Cass County Attorney Nathan Cox dismissed all criminal charges against Livers in December 2006. The MacArthur Justice Center filed suit for Livers in early 2008."
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/macarthur/projects/wrongful/livers.html
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
I look forward to hearing from readers at:
hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;
http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/csi-trial-0
See Northwestern Law release October 28, 2013. "Matthew Livers: Nebrask officials to pay $1.65 million settlement for fabricating evidence and coercing false confession. Authorities still owe apology to Matthew Livers; Matthew Livers has settled his civil suit against the Nebraska State Patrol investigators and Cass County, Nebraska, Sheriff’s Deputies for coercing him to confess falsely to the brutal murder of his aunt and uncle and fabricating evidence to make the false charges stick. Under the settlement, Livers will receive a total of $1.65 million ($1 million will be paid by Cass County; $600,000 by the State of Nebraska; and $50,000 by Douglas County, Nebraska). The settlement is compensation for Livers’ seven months of pretrial incarceration while the false charges were pending. Livers also sued David Kofoed, the disgraced former head of the Douglas County Crime Scene Investigation Unit. A judgment of liability has been entered against Kofoed, and the court will determine the amount of damages Kofoed must pay in addition to the settlement amount. “By any measure, the conduct of all of the defendants was morally and legally reprehensible,” said Locke Bowman, Executive Director of the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center. Cass County and State Patrol investigators extracted the confession from Livers, who is intellectually limited, by threatening to “piss” on him and to “hang [him] from the highest tree.” Kofoed planted the victim’s blood in a car in order to further frame Livers, and Kofoed was convicted and served 18 months for felony evidence tampering. When the identities of the true perpetrators were uncovered, the Cass County and State Patrol deputies manipulated and coerced them into concocting a false story that Livers and they had committed the murders together. Cass County Attorney Nathan Cox dismissed all criminal charges against Livers in December 2006. The MacArthur Justice Center filed suit for Livers in early 2008."
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/macarthur/projects/wrongful/livers.html
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
I look forward to hearing from readers at:
hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;
