Getting the Big Picture re DNA and Cold Cases

Those who learn forensic science from TV may be shocked to hear that simply having a DNA match does not necessarily solve a case or lead to a conviction.

An article in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle tells how the hard work of a cold case unit in San Jose paid off in solving the 1980 rape and murder of Bettina Sailer, a young German woman who was traveling and working in the U.S. before her death. It gives a good look at how DNA helped -- but was only part of what was needed to bring an accused to trial.

The article presents a solid case for the need for local jurisdictions to commit to investigation beyond the leads that DNA can provide. Funding DNA is important. However, your local lab can come up with DNA cold hits, but if no resources are devoted to assigning homicide detectives to do further investigation in these cases, convictions are unlikely.

That's our super gator!

Those of you who read my post in May about Reggie the Gator, then our most famous local wild thing, may already know that he was captured shortly after that, and taken to the LA Zoo. I had nothing to do with it, but on the list of why I love LA: The motorcade was actually televised.

On August 10, he made his first public appearance at the zoo, all cleaned up and greeted by 150 cheering fans, according to this story in the LA Times.

Less than a week later, our remarkable Houdini gator has shown that he is no slave to celebrity! Read this story by Donna Littlejohn in today's Long Beach Press-Telegram -- "Reggie makes a moonlit run for freedom."

Still on the face of the Earth

although it may seem as if I've dropped off. This has been one wild month. And I'm still trying to finish writing a book....

So, you may not see much of me here for another week or two, but I'll be back, as the governor of this state once said in a movie.

In the meantime, if you want something extremely silly to look at (especially if you are a cat-lover), cheer yourself up here.

Among the many, many evil things

Voldemort has done, one of the worst has been ripping off Joe Satriani's look. Don't believe me? Check out true guitar wizard Satch's photo on the cover of this month's Guitar World.