PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Exhibit A is Netflix's latest original true crime series, having dropped on the streaming platform last weekend (June 28). The four-part documentary explores the US justice system, honing in on four specific areas of the investigation process and exploring each through a specific case. In episode two we're introduced to the science of blood spatter – which, for anyone who's familiar with the true crime genre, is a common piece of evidence used to piece together what might have happened to a victim. In The Staircase, for example, much time was spent debating the pattern of blood that surrounded the victim. As part of a development during the case's post-conviction process, the crucial blood-spatter evidence used in Michael Peterson's original trial was discredited after the expert's questionable practices were exposed. In Exhibit A the science is looked at through the lens of the circumstances that surrounded Edmund Clark's murder."
STORY: "Exhibit A on Netflix: What happened to true crime subject Norma Jean Clark?," by reporter Laura Jane Turner, published by Digital Spy on July 2, 2019.
SUB-HEADING: "If you were hooked on The Staircase, you'll want to watch this."
GIST: Exhibit A is Netflix's latest original true crime series, having dropped on the streaming platform last weekend (June 28). The
four-part documentary explores the US justice system, honing in on four
specific areas of the investigation process and exploring each through a
specific case. In
episode two we're introduced to the science of blood spatter – which,
for anyone who's familiar with the true crime genre, is a common piece
of evidence used to piece together what might have happened to a victim. In The Staircase,
for example, much time was spent debating the pattern of blood that
surrounded the victim. As part of a development during the case's
post-conviction process, the crucial blood-spatter evidence used in
Michael Peterson's original trial was discredited after the expert's questionable practices were exposed. In Exhibit A the science is looked at
through the lens of the circumstances that surrounded Edmund Clark's
murder. On April 22, 1987, at the age of 37, the businessman was found
dead in his home with gunshot wounds. Edmund's
wife Norma had been in the house at the time and, according to the
Netflix documentary, told police that she had been sleeping upstairs –
while her husband slept in the downstairs bedroom – when she heard the
shot, ran downstairs and out of the house. In
archive footage in the episode, Norma told the camera that at first she
believed it had been her husband shooting at "somebody or something"
until she heard no more sounds. The prosecution's expert, introduced on-screen as David, was interviewed as part of Exhibit A.
He told the filmmakers that he had been skeptical of Norma's story from
the beginning. Norma, however, has always maintained that she's
innocent of any involvement in her partner's death. Back in the '80s the
prosecutors took the case to a grand jury but, following a lack of
evidence, they did not formally accuse Norma or charge her with any
crime. Fast-forward to 2010, around 25 years later, and investigators claimed to have found forensic evidence that implicated Norma. "You've
got a gunshot wound [that's] going to shed blood at a high rate of
speed," David explained, before adding that in a crime scene like this
one you'd expect to see "microscopic" particles of blood as well as the
larger pools. "If you were to take a spray bottle and spray it into the
sunlight, [you'd] see that fine mist – that's what we're looking at." Typically,
according to this expert, that fine spray would only travel a distance
of three feet or less. He claimed to have found evidence of this high
velocity impact spatter on the nightgown that Norma had been wearing on
the night of the murder, which he argued placed her at the scene when
the gun was fired. David said that it took him about three months to
find these alleged microscopic spots of blood on the fibres of the gown,
something that he himself described as an "extreme" move that isn't
standard practice. Edmund Clark's murder had
become a cold case, but this apparent new evidence gave investigators
the opportunity to arrest Norma. According to
Norma's post-conviction lawyer, when the lab results came back on these
stains, it was revealed that they "did not test positive for blood"
except in the instance of one of the microscopic spots. "They were not able
to test it for DNA so we don't even know whose blood it was, it could
have been her blood it could have been anybody's blood. It would not be
unusual to have a microscopic spot of blood on one's clothing," she
explained. The state was already taking the
case forward by this point, and the prosecution based its case on this
evidence. In 2013 Norma Clark was convicted and received a 25-year
prison sentence. According to Norma's post-conviction attorney,
there were plenty of other evidentiary leads that could have been
investigated – including a death threat left on Clark's answer machine,
which was played during the series. This, she argued, would have raised
suspicion around other suspects. Norma is now 71 years old and, if she finishes her full sentence, will not be released until 2038. All four episodes of Exhibit A are available to stream on Netflix."
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a28256735/exhibit-a-norma-jean-clark-blood/
Access Netflix 'Exhibit A' home page for trailer and interesting background at the link below;
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. 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;
