TX: Dog's testimony alone not enough for a murder conviction, sorry Scoob

[nothingmuch]

Appeals court frees man convicted of murder based on dog scent lineup

Comments

[hey_its_michael]

Heh...I was just reading and tweeting about this.

I am glad to see this move. The idea of a "dog scent lineup" being enough on its own, or as a primary source of evidence, bothers the hell out of me.

YOU CAN'T CROSS EXAMINE A DOG!

[thecityofdis]

"Are you sure it was this man, Scooby?"

Yes, yes I am.

"And what did he have in his pockets, Scooby?"

Bacon bacon bacon IIIIIIIIIIT'S BACON

[hey_its_michael]

lol

[roseofjuly]

LMAO

[thecityofdis]

ZOINKS

[jamesq]

And nobody asked if the dog's handler was able to get it to respond as though it caught a scent? Of if the scent was possibly contaminated or degraded in three years? Or if the dog had a demonstrated ability to pick out scents in the context of a criminal investigation (as opposed to, say, tracking prey)?

Jeebus!

[blindgeoff]

I am shocked - SHOCKED! to hear of possible prosecutorial incompetence in Texas!

In TEXAS! of all places!

[grace_om]

Wait, what, so the daughter is on death row based on this same dog scent evidence?

Oh Texas.

[nothingmuch]

She got a life sentence.

[grace_om]

I thought "capital" = execution.

But life...on that evidence? Or was there more to her case?

[4eyedblonde]

mte