Delayed Justice: Inside Stories from America's Best Cold Case Investigations

by Jack Branson, Mary Branson

Overview

This book documents the heroic efforts of some of the nation's most prolific cold case detectives. In collaboration the authors, these professionals share their insights, skills, and resources, using their most compelling cold cases as illustrations. The authors examine how cold case investigations differ from standard investigations and why cold case detectives sometimes have success where earlier investigators failed. They also discuss some of the pitfalls of reopening long-unsolved crimes, such as lost or compromised evidence and the difficulty of getting accurate information from witnesses who must rely on fading memories. Looking to the future, the authors discuss new technology that may someday allow investigators to drastically enhance surveillance videos and create a facial recognition database as accurate as DNA analysis and fingerprints. Both true crime readers and fellow law enforcement professionals will find the stories and expert insights described in this book to be fascinating and instructive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616143930
Publisher:	Prometheus Books
Publication date:	06/28/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	301
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Jack Branson (Cumming, GA), a retired special agent with the US Department of the Treasury, is now the head of Branson & Associates, a private investigation firm. He has also written a novel, Terminal Justice.

Mary Branson (Cumming, GA) is a freelance writer and the president of AptWord, Inc., a literary agency. She is the author of many books, including (with Jack Branson) Murder in Mayberry and Cutting Myself in Half.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 9

Introduction: Forgotten, As a Dream 21

Chapter 1 How Old Is Cold? 25

Chapter 2 Why Temperatures Drop 35

Chapter 3 Turning Up the Heat 85

Chapter 4 New Hope for Old Cases 117

Chapter 5 Investigation 101 145

Chapter 6 Advanced Cold Case Techniques 177

Chapter 7 Why Colder Can Be Hotter 245

Chapter 8 How Cases Ice Over 241

Chapter 9 Keeping Up the Heat 255

Chapter 10 Speaking for the Victims 267

Index 297

Editorial Reviews

When a crime is committed and law enforcement does not solve it right away, it quickly becomes a "cold case," much to the distress of family members and friends of the victim. When cases go cold, it's often from a lack of evidence or witnesses, or a dead end in the investigation. Sometimes this is resolved as time passes, new technologies becomes available, or a new detective approaches a case with fresh eyes. The Bransons offer a detailed exploration of cold cases-how they get investigated, why some get solved and others languish, and what law enforcement has to do to get those cases closed. They use numerous examples of real life cases including details from the investigation of 29-year-old preschool teacher Julie Love who was missing for a year before her skeletal remains were found in a dumpster. These case studies are part methodology and part testimonial to the work of the police and result in a deeply fascinating study of law enforcement tactics and resources. While the book's focus is at times muddy, all the topics covered are intriguing. Photos.
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Publishers Weekly

"The Bransons offer a detailed exploration of cold cases – how they get investigated, why some get solved and others languish, and what law enforcement has to do to get those cases closed. These case studies are part methodology and part testimonial to the work of the police and result in a deeply fascinating study of law enforcement tactics and resources." -Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher