Back on topic.
Copied from another thread:
Grime states that although Keela alerts very specifically to a small area where blood is found, Eddie was trained to alert to the general odour of death in a wider area. This is normal for rescue dogs as they are trained to follow an odour gradient.
The clothes were bundled together and we know that odour transfers from item to item in close proximity.
The 'couple' of alerts are to 5a and to clothes. The clothes had also been in 5a so a single source could have existed.
It is worth remembering that the scientifically determined best estimate for scent dogs is of the order of 80%. Statistically this error rate is increased for tests that require two alerts, the uncertainty increases by the multiple of each individual test, leading to a joint Eddie/Keela alert is 80% of 80%, or 64%. So each of those alerts has a two out of three possibility of being true or more importantly a one on three chance of being wrong.
So we have moved from a contention that there were multiple alerts indicating cadaver odour to the possibility that it was actually a single source detected with an chance of one in three being totally incorrect.
That is the truth value of the dogs.
Irrelevant general dog statistics. I thought you were going to say that Eddie was
EVRD and was highly skilled with special training techniques. Where forensics find nothing Eddie or Keela do!
'Keela' The Crime Scene Investigation (C.S.I.) dog will search for and locate human blood to such small proportions that it is unlikely to be recovered by the forensic science procedures in place at this time due to its size or placement.
She will locate contaminated weapons, screen motor vehicles and items of clothing and examine crime scenes for minute human blood deposits. She will accurately locate human blood on items that have been subjected to 'clean up operations' or having been subjected to several washing machine cycles.
STU MACHINE
I have developed the training of the E.V.R.D. to include the screening of scent
pads taken from motor vehicles, property or scenes by a Scent Transference
Unit. Operational use of the STU is in a developmental and evaluative stage
used in conjunction with selective FBI casework. The unis is in a two-part
design. The main body is a battery operated electrical device that draws air in
at to the front and exhausts through the rear. There is no 're-circulation' of air
within the unit. The second part is a 'grilled' hood that fits to the main body. A
sterile gauze pad is fitted into the hood. When operated, the STU draws air
through the hood and the sterile gauze pad and exhausts through ports to the
rear. 'Scent' is trapped in the gauze, which may then be forensically stored for
use within scent discrimination exercises.
The STU is cleaned following use in such a manner that no residual scent is
apparent. This is checked by control measures where the dog is allowed to
search a given area where the STU is secreted. Any response by the dog
would suggest contamination. Tests have shown that the decontamination
procedures are effective in this case with the dog NOT alerting to the device
when completed. Use of the STU is considered when subject vehicles,
property, clothing, premises are to be forensically protected from
contamination by the dog, and for covert deployment. At all other times best
practice would be for the dog to be given direct access.
Gerry: I can tell you that we have also looked at evidence about (haha) cadaver dogs and they are incredibly unreliable.
Sandra: Unreliable?
Gerry: Cadaver dogs, yes. That's what the evidence shows, if they are tested scientifically."
They want to highlight the judge's dismissal of cadaver dog evidence in the high-profile Eugene Zapata murder trial in Madison, Wisconsin.
The couple's lawyers have already contacted Zapata's defence team, who are now sending their large file on the matter to Britain.
Zapata's estranged wife, flight instructor Jeanette Zapata, was 37 when she vanished on October 11 1976 after seeing her three children off to school. Her body has never been found.
