Forensic Linguistics plays important role in solving TN 'FaceBook Murders'

Judge John Kerry Blackwood, who has tried high profile cases throughout Tennessee, called this case the most bizarre thing that he has seen in his career as a judge. During the Christian-Newsom case, Judge Blackwood publicly scolded D A Randy Nichols, see DA Nichols gets an 'ass chewing' from Judge Blackwood.

What started as a feud in social media by local Mountain City TN residents, resulted in the brutal slaying of a married couple, and lengthy prison sentences for four others.
An elaborate scheme of deception was uncovered through careful examination of the family's computer, phone messages, and texts.

Authorities were able to show that a fake profile on social media, described as a 'Chris' was actually Jenelle Potter, the daughter of Barbara and Marvin Potter--who were both convicted in the murders along with Jenelle and her boyfriend Jamie Curd.

Catch the entire episode on ABC's 20/20, before your next hateful text message puts you in a spot that you will forever regret.

Forensic Linguistics, and careful analysis of 'ironic repetition' in emails and text messages played a major role in solving this case and many others--Journal of the Humanities--Legal questions involve language, for instance, who wrote a ransom note--What is the meaning of a phrase in a contract?...To understand Law, one must understand language.

The Ultimate Prepper: Call Near or Far Without a Phone

Robert Durst joins list of "Suspects that Talk to Themselves"

Robert Durst

Is there a 'reasonable expectation' of privacy while in a public restroom?

When Robert Durst was heard during the making of an HBO documentary saying that he "killed them all" during a bathroom break... he provided law enforcement enough to get himself arrested last Saturday.

In United States vs. Hill, the U.S Court of Appeals in the Eight Circuit recently held that under some circumstances, there is no continuing Fourth Amendment right to privacy in a public restroom...

"As a result of investigative leads and additional evidence that has come to light in the past year, investigators have identified Robert Durst as the person responsible for Susan Berman's death," Los Angeles Police said in a statement.

Special Agent William Hagmaier describes how in the homicide investigation of Federal Judge Robert Vance, investigators were able to get permission from the court to glean information from Walter Leroy Moody who 'at times' talked to himself. 

MCSD Training: Equal Opportunity Incompetency

It made no difference whether the victim was a long-time local or a recent move-in

The bungling in the death investigations of Troy Green, Jim Miller, Chester Millsaps, Charlie Young (and others), is likely one of the darkest chapters in Monroe County Sheriff Bill Bivens' legacy.

Former cops planned a come-back in 2016

A 78 year old former Florida native who knew Charlie Young since Charlie was 16 years old, recalls the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

"The only thing they had was the testimony of his wife, that she supposedly had gone to town and came back and found him laying on the ground, in the floor of the kitchen, blood all over the place...she had a 'boyfriend' at the time, the guy she eventually married."

Charlie's friend mentions the stark contrast in the homicide investigation performed in the death of Harkey Yates, which was done by the (TBI) Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as the lead agency.

"They never did an autopsy on Charlie when he died--even though it was an un-attended death, (supposedly, no one around)...Harkey died in the basement down there in his shop...they did an autopsy on Harkey, why didn't they do Charlie?"

Former MCSD Cops 'Doug E fresh' Brannon & Pat Henry

Fake Lawyer Scandal--Their Actions Described as: "egregious, illegal, and abhorrent"

Former MCSD Doug Brannon  

Brannon testified that he agreed working with Patrick Henry, who was accused of impersonating an attorney, but denies participating in the "illusion." See how Brannon denies knowledge of "misdeeds" by Monroe County Sheriff's Detectives in the Dawson case--see page 12 in the appeal of State of Tennessee v. Jessica Kennedy HERE

Former MCSD James Patrick Henry

Doug Brannon, along with his former partner James Patrick Henry, received national attention in a ruling which Tennessee Supreme Court Justice James Curwood Witt described their actions as "egregious, illegal, and abhorrent...so egregious that it profoundly interfered with the defendant's right to counsel under state and federal constitutions." Dawson claims he was framed