Possibility of silencer evidence being wrong due to testing mistakes:

[adam]

Aga Paint:

This evidence could not be wrong. Testing methods were easily advanced enough to compare the silencer paint with the aga paint and make a match.

The paint inside the silencer would have come from somewhere inside WHF. The only explanation is it came from the silencer during the definate kitchen fight.

The  scratch marks on the aga support the paint being inside the silencer. The ramdonness of the scratch marks support a kitchen fight.


Human blood inside the silencer:

In 1985 it was impossible to not be able to determine human blood.

It was quite a new rifle. So it may not made any successful short range shots at an animal.

Several of the shots inside WHF were contact or short range. There was no blood on the rifle nozzle.


Sheila's blood inside the silencer:

It was certainly human blood inside the silencer, which could have only come from inside WHF.

Sheila received a contact shot.

Sheila was almost certainly the last person shot.

Human blood in the silencer shows it was on during the massacre. So no reason to take it off to shoot Sheila.

Sheila's blood being inside the silencer was not disputed at trial or for several years afterwards. Further more advanced tests years later just reaffirmed it was Sheila's blood.


Neville's burn marks:

Bamber's experts have said these were inflicted by the killer minus the silencer. This is the reason why the evidence already inside the silencer, remained inside and was not destroyed.


The grey hair:

Both the police and relatives said there was a grey hair inside the silencer. Neither could be wrong as it was not possible to mistake a grey hair with anything else.

The evidence that the silencer was used during the massacre shows that the grey hair was almost certainly Neville's. If this had been confirmed from tests it would have been very damaging for Bamber.

                                       ------------------------

In conclusion there was human error in losing the hair on the silencer. Which the police have never tried to hide. However there was no possibility of the tests on the maintained evidence being wrong.

It is not conclusive whether Neville's burn marks were made with or without the silencer attached. However the experts view that it was without the silencer attached is the reason why there was so much available evidence left inside the silencer which had not beeen destroyed by heat.

[John]

Yes, I agree many mistakes were made by Essex Police at the time but the evidence all points in one direction.  If Jeremy Bamber had been innocent his approach to the police and the trial would have been completely different.

The single grey hair was probably not viewed as a major incompetence at the time but it was never the less. This was a classic piece of evidence which would have placed the silencer at the crimescene and as we all know, Sheila was both incapable and had no need to have put it away in the cupboard where it was later found.  Using the silencer was yet another fatal flaw in Bamber's murderous masterplan.

[Holly Goodhead]

Had proper procedures been followed and a pathologist, biologist and ballistics expert been called to SoC on morning of 7th Aug we would not be her discussing the case now.

[Caroline]

Had proper procedures been followed and a pathologist, biologist and ballistics expert been called to SoC on morning of 7th Aug we would not be her discussing the case now.

I agree but Jeremy's insistence that he'd received a phone call from his father etc. is the reason why none of the above occurred. They had no reason not to believe him at the time.

[Holly Goodhead]

I agree but Jeremy's insistence that he'd received a phone call from his father etc. is the reason why none of the above occurred. They had no reason not to believe him at the time.

He told it how it was.

Procedures must ALWAYS take precedence over witness testimony.

The raid team continued to search the property with caution even after all victims/occupants had been identified.  Investigators checked the windows and doors, gathered various samples and exhibits for forensic examination and took soc photos.  Why do all this if they were happy to just write it off as murder/suicide?

[adam]

It's a unique case.

Usually blood evidence (and now DNA) is used to prove someone was at a crime scene. However in this case the silencer evidence  just proves Sheila was not murderer.

So what if Sheila was not murderer. It could be anyone couldn't it ? Wrong. Bamber ringing the police rounds the suspect down to two. One of them dead, who Bamber implicated. One of them alive who who had motives, an opportunity and no alibi.

Bamber has always maintained he received the 'mysterious' phone call from Neville. The hundreds of pieces of forensic evidence showing it was not Sheila,  suggest he didn't.

[Caroline]

He told it how it was.

Procedures must ALWAYS take precedence over witness testimony.

The raid team continued to search the property with caution even after all victims/occupants had been identified.  Investigators checked the windows and doors, gathered various samples and exhibits for forensic examination and took soc photos.  Why do all this if they were happy to just write it off as murder/suicide?

If you looked at other cases in detail, you would find the same - this case isn't unique.

Of course they had to take pictures etc. not sure what your point is? They missed some things because they had been influenced by Jeremy, so weren't as vigilant as they should have been but they didn't completely through the rule book out of the window.

[Holly Goodhead]

If you looked at other cases in detail, you would find the same - this case isn't unique.

Of course they had to take pictures etc. not sure what your point is? They missed some things because they had been influenced by Jeremy, so weren't as vigilant as they should have been but they didn't completely through the rule book out of the window.

I agree it isn't unique at all.  All MoJ's contain the same features:

- Procedures not followed
- Poor recruitment processes and induction and ongoing training
- Inadequate supervision and management
- Incompetenece
- Police wrongdoing
- Fabrication of evidence
- Unreliable prosecution witnesses
- Poor defence

[Caroline]

I agree it isn't unique at all.  All MoJ's contain the same features:

- Procedures not followed
- Poor recruitment processes and induction and ongoing training
- Inadequate supervision and management
- Incompetenece
- Police wrongdoing
- Fabrication of evidence
- Unreliable prosecution witnesses
- Poor defence

I imagine most of those could be applied to ANY case, not just MOJ.

[scipio_usmc]

I imagine most of those could be applied to ANY case, not just MOJ.

All except fabrication of evidence unless you also count being wrong/sloppy work for instance in the Knox prosecution the forensic tech used a single swab to swab various locations and thus mixed DNA in the process.  This is not fabrication in the sense normally used but still qualifies in a literal sense. 

[david1819]

I agree it isn't unique at all.  All MoJ's contain the same features:

- Procedures not followed
- Poor recruitment processes and induction and ongoing training
- Inadequate supervision and management
- Incompetenece
- Police wrongdoing
- Fabrication of evidence
- Unreliable prosecution witnesses
- Poor defence

Another aspect is the lab testing all the blood in the moderator to destruction. So as a result the defence can not have their own experts make a fresh examination. This part of the case stinks IMO

[scipio_usmc]

Another aspect is the lab testing all the blood in the moderator to destruction. So as a result the defence can not have their own experts make a fresh examination. This part of the case stinks IMO

That the blood is destroyed in testing could not be avoided based on the testing of the day.  In any event the defense had full access to the moderator and found more group a blood. The blood Lincoln tested was also fully destroyed int he testing and any he didn't test he failed to retain. Should he be faulted for failing to save some for future DNA testing?

[david1819]

That the blood is destroyed in testing could not be avoided based on the testing of the day.  In any event the defense had full access to the moderator and found more group a blood. The blood Lincoln tested was also fully destroyed int he testing and any he didn't test he failed to retain. Should he be faulted for failing to save some for future DNA testing?

As for DNA it was not know of back then. so I cant really blame anyone in that respect.