Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Chris Tapp: Idaho: (2) Post Registrar editorial written calls on state to, "Free Tapp Now," in an editorial written by Kate Stokes, the paper's Commentary Page Editor:......... "The newest report, released Thursday, was written by Stuart Robinson, a Twin Falls private investigator. He backs up the other experts, saying there’s no evidence supporting Tapp’s confession that he participated in Dodge’s murder. If videos, reports and evidence aren’t enough, ask Angie’s own mother, Carol Dodge, an inexhaustible, creative and endlessly resourceful advocate for Tapp’s innocence and the continued search for her daughter’s killer. Beyond the confession, what of other evidence? Though DNA evidence belonging to other unidentified men has been found, not one test has confirmed Chris Tapp was ever even in Dodge’s apartment. The specifics of Tapp’s confessed involvement are even disproved by physical evidence. For instance, Tapp said he was forced by two other assailants to slash Dodge across the breast. He said her shirt was pulled up when this happened. Evidence shows it was pulled down. Robinson’s report finds serious flaws in the entire investigation. In fact, Robinson throws the book at the Idaho Falls Police personnel who were involved. Besides questionable interrogation tactics, including giving Tapp myriad details about the crime, investigators also convinced Tapp the polygraph showed he was hiding details of the murder from even himself (one expert on false confessions called this usage of the polygraph a “psychological rubber hose”). They gave Tapp an undocumented tour of the crime scene — something Robinson calls “disturbing.” Robinson said in a serious investigation, there should be hundreds of photos. The IFPD took only 43 photos, citing budget concern."
EDITORIAL: "Free Tapp Now," written by Commentary page editor Kate Stokes, published by The Post Register on September 11, 2016
GIST: "According to an independent investigator contracted by Bonneville County for the past 14 months to the tune of nearly $36,000, there is no reliable evidence that Chris Tapp participated in the murder of Angie Dodge, a crime he confessed to, and for which he has been imprisoned since 1997 as part of a 30 year-to-life sentence. About Tapp’s confession: If you have any doubts the confession was forced out of Chris Tapp like blood from a stone, stop what you are doing and go watch video of the interrogations yourself. They’re available at Tinyurl.com/JudgesforJustice. Or, you could read the reams of reports from numerous independent experts who all concur — there’s no concrete evidence that shows Tapp committed the crime he confessed to. Go to JudgesforJustice.com to read those. The newest report, released Thursday, was written by Stuart Robinson, a Twin Falls private investigator. He backs up the other experts, saying there’s no evidence supporting Tapp’s confession that he participated in Dodge’s murder. If videos, reports and evidence aren’t enough, ask Angie’s own mother, Carol Dodge, an inexhaustible, creative and endlessly resourceful advocate for Tapp’s innocence and the continued search for her daughter’s killer. Beyond the confession, what of other evidence? Though DNA evidence belonging to other unidentified men has been found, not one test has confirmed Chris Tapp was ever even in Dodge’s apartment. The specifics of Tapp’s confessed involvement are even disproved by physical evidence. For instance, Tapp said he was forced by two other assailants to slash Dodge across the breast. He said her shirt was pulled up when this happened. Evidence shows it was pulled down. Robinson’s report finds serious flaws in the entire investigation. In fact, Robinson throws the book at the Idaho Falls Police personnel who were involved. Besides questionable interrogation tactics, including giving Tapp myriad details about the crime, investigators also convinced Tapp the polygraph showed he was hiding details of the murder from even himself (one expert on false confessions called this usage of the polygraph a “psychological rubber hose”). They gave Tapp an undocumented tour of the crime scene — something Robinson calls “disturbing.” Robinson said in a serious investigation, there should be hundreds of photos. The IFPD took only 43 photos, citing budget concern. One life was brutally, abruptly, heinously, unfairly ended. Another life is being taken slowly by our county while her real killer still walks free. Bonneville County has its answer — the investigation was seriously tainted, the confession was coerced. The charges leading to Tapp’s conviction are based on lies. There is no definitive evidence that he was involved.
Now it’s time for the county to act. We have to stop punishing Chris Tapp for a crime it’s clear he did not commit."
The entire commentary can be found at:
http://www.postregister.com/articles/opinions/2016/09/11/house-editorial-free-tapp-now
A report by former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Gregg McCrary can be read here. A report by false confession expert Steve Drizin can be read here.
http://www.postregister.com/articles/featured-news-daily-email-west/2016/09/08/tapp-investigation-released
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy. Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
