2011.06.08 TRIAL Day Thirteen (Morning Session)

[shelbar53]

Looks like Casey was reviewing the dog handlers guidebook, not the official one but the one Baez referred to yesterday.

 

[Celt1997]

Really? I haven't seen that but I can't see how or why that would be, it is natural for dogs to look for carrion and hunt so looking for a dead body is much more natural to a dog than sniffing out bomb chemicals.

I don't think it has to do with their effectiveness, but how that effectiveness can be fairly put into the court system. It is really a big deal in the drug community, because, apparently the drug dogs have a lot more false alerts, and that has caused an outcry in the Defense Lawyer community. The lack of a clear set of standards has caused a lot of dog evidence to be thrown out.

I believe, in the end, their effectiveness will be proven, but how they can get that into a good standard of evidence is still in question. Consistency will be the key. Can a dog who had even 1 false alert during their training be considered reliable in the Court?

At least in this case, we're getting the full foundation laid out, clearly showing that Bones & Gerus were consistent, and without fail.

 

[SurfieTX]

Bones' tail will fluff up when he is in "odor." He may also paw at the area to try to get a better scent. These are changes in his behavior prior to his final alert.

 

[truthsleuth]

Alerted to a burned body within a few feet of where the body was located.

Another search, two bodies were said to be buried in the same hole, Bones recovered the bodies.

How often does he get called out?

Quite often.

Are there occasions when there are no alerts at all?

Correct.

How does Bones show interest in an area?

He picks his head up to pinpoint where the area is, his tail fluffs up, he will leave and not come back when called because he's so interested in finding the odors where he is.

 

[adb263]

Seriously these dogs are so well trained that it should just be a given that they are experts!!

 

[momtective]

Casey just leaned into DS and whispered behind her hand. DS pulled away.

Anyone who has a young child who hangs all over them, can probably so relate to DS' reaction. I'm sure ICA drives her batty! ICA is very needy.

 

[Tulessa]

Amazing testimony. This has to be my favorite part of the evidence.

 

[tut med]

Gotta love a dog named Bones

 

[Mendara]

KC looks so bored by this.

 

[wenwe4]

JB objects to canine voir dire in front of jury.....wanted it done in front of HHBP only - HHBP reminds him jurors need info to determine whether it is relevant or not....they will make up their own minds....


Next Witness
Kristin Brewer - Supv. w Oseola Co. Sherrif over 16 yrs, started in patrol, several years in traffic unit, 1 1/2 yr tactical - plain clothes, patrol collateral duty handle k9, Bones k9, prior to Bones - hobby to train protection/obediance/article tracking.....2005 SO acquired Bones - person initially assigned to train Bones - dog already had some training - dog train paperwork goes with him ......Dep. Forgey provided all records (vet and train records)....KB has created and kept all records of Bones since receiving from Dep Forgey....show to JB - he is smiling and talking to LDB.....approx 2" sheaf of paper handed to KB - she is flipping through some of them......confirm those are Bones records.....

received in evidence over objections...

First bond with the dog, get to know the dog, play ball with dog first several weeks, learned temperment and training and any problems meetin w/Forgey several times.....Bones and KB trained several hours each week......recorded in training log....attended schools indep of Oseola Co. ......first school attended Andy Redmond - basic cadavar course....Andy is authority on cadavar dog training....document confirming certificate that KB and Bones received on completion of course 11/7 -11/13/05...make sure dog find odor, and give final train alert on the odor....multi day course.....exposed to woods, high grass, clay, dirt, pavement, normal grass....some of the target odors known location and some not.......cadavar search school record shows if Bones had false alerts, misses, or found target .....Bones performed fairly well....no problems with search ability....don't recall any misses or false alerts not recorded any....found all the targets he was intended to find....Bones trained on human blood/bone/tissue/teeth/semen and placenta....

KB refers to records of Bones....water seminar 11/2 thru 11/4 ...water seminar all targets submerged, near, in water.....take dog out on boat and he needs to alert to target in and around the water.....kept written record of Bones performance Human remains in water seminar.....recorded any false alerts/misses and targets.....don't recall Bones having false alerts or misses and located all targets. Cert. of completion 11/2007...in between seminars continue to train w/Bones.....use distractors to ensure he won't alert to material you don't want him to.....distractors include toys, dog treats, food, animal remains..... not trained with urine or feces - but he is exposed to that on searches....he is exposed to multiple dogs in the environments.....not alert to food sources.....dairy products -cheese? can't recall specifically.......never had any prob. with Bones alerting to food source of any kind......advanced land 2009....Country Class k9's Lisa Higgins- authority trainer on cadavar dogs....authority and long history of successful training of k9-....required bones to find buried, hanging, surface, differing depths/training aids, hanging a source in a tree.....Bones final trained alert is a sit....source hang in tree - Bones tries to pinpoint on ground.....lift head up....try not to show him source or let him see it - he detects it above him and will sit.....

NNDDA certification....nat. narcotic detector dog assoc......has a special training for cadavar, they also do narcotics and not sure if they offer bomb work or not.....performance records from seminar - documented in certification book for 1 year from certification....

Bones trained on residual odor....where human remains placed in location and item was removed....Bones trained to detect on the odor staying.....human blood wiped on ceramic tile and then wiped clean and a location where a body had been located......reward for Bones for successful find is tennis ball....never rewarded with food....given food or treats just for being a dog...favorite reward is tennis ball.....in records maintenance train - human remains training and also keep track of real world calls.....dates Bones called out on searches....successful or unsuccessful searches.

8/23/05 - search - no alert that date - area dug and deceased dog was found.
5/1/06 - search - human remains present - no alert - area searched dead animal located
5/10/06 - no alert to human remains - area dug - deceased dog found
9/5/06 - human remains present? - no alert - searched found dead possum
6/6/09 - human remains present? - no alert - area searched - animal remains found

during tenure w/Bones - Bones never has false alert on any location......Bones has alerted and human remains were located....

3/31/07 - Bones alerted to located several small bone fragments - able to find a couple of pieces of skeleton based on Bones alerts.

10/8/07 - info body buried 2-3 weeks in woods - Bones alerted exactly on area where body was laid.


missed date - elderly female deceased on other side of the wall he alerted to find her

? 2007 - landfill highlands county - garbage all manner, deployed Bones several days in landfill, alerted to comforter, baby had been born on later discarded in trash.....

3/26/08 - off 528 Orange Co - skeleton human skull found by someone mowing the grass....he alerted on additional bones in the area..

5/14/09 - water search...young male not made it to shore...presumed drown....boat search on large lake....alerted and dive team found body

11/13/09 (?) - body burned in area - alerted to area within few feet where body located..

12/20/10 - 2 bodies buried in same hole over 2 years...orange grove.....able to alert ... dug and both bodies were recovered.

Bones is single purpose dog.....quite often called out for out of county and out of state searches....many searches result in no alert at all.....

Bones and she work together so long....indicators....pick his head up....tail fluff up....paw at surface to get better scent.....leave handler and try and pinpoint where scent is....she stays with him to see if alert/...

asking to approach

 

[stilettos]

I wonder if it is subject to monitoring? No different then using a phone or mail to assist in her case.

I think it should be but do not know the answer to this.

 

[Azcrabcakes]

WESH live feed tweet:

#caseyanthony has nothing in front of her. No notepad or laptop. She looks a little bored. Yesdy she was furiously leafing thru K9 records.
by abcashleigh via twitter at 7:42 AM

WHAT? I can SEE her!

 

[Rapunzel]

The witness is now addressing the jury somewhat.

 

[wvjules]

Had a morning meeting and just got here. Darn work!

Anyway, ICA looks deflated this morning.

 

[Zinvestigator]

I think we're going to see a lot of nervous people. They're dealing with testifying in a case that has gone worldwide and there are cameras all over the place.

There is that but also the testimony of each witness can help determine whether someone lives, dies or even goes free. Can you imagine having to give testimony that someone’s life depends on? I’d be nervous too, especially when I know where a certain case is headed, IYKWIM. To some degree, that would be on my/your head, wouldn’t it? I don’t envy any of these witnesses in the least!

 

[butwhatif?]

Who does ICA keep looking at? Linda or someone in the gallery? I haven't noticed her continually looking in this direction before.

 

[Eidetic]

JB: "and we would renew our previous objection that this is a under hereas (?) a matter of law that should be done outside of the presence of the jury and of course renew all previous motions and objections as it pertains to her testimony."

HJBP: "Okay. The same uh basis that I gave the last time is the prior fact the individual must decide to weigh the credibility of the testimony thus they are entitled uh, to know the training no only of the dog handler, but the training and experience of the dog uh, and the dogs reliability in assessing whether or not they want to accept or reject the testimony with the dog and the only way for them to to do that is to know the reliability unless the defense is not going to question the reliability of the evidence. If they're not going to question the reliability of the evidence and accept the evidence as fact, then there will be no need to do this. Okay, let's return the jury."

(judge addresses jurors)

HJBP: "Okay, state ready to proceed? State may call their next witness."

LDB: " Kristin Brewer."

(she is sworn in)

LDB: "Kristin Brewer.

HJBP: "You may proceed Mrs. Drane."

LDB: "Thank you, your Honor. Good morning ma'am could you please tell us your occupation?"

KB: "I'm a uh, supervisor with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office."

LDB: "What type of supervisor?"

KB: "Control supervisor."

LDB: "How long have you worked with the Osceola County Sheriff's?"

KB: "Over 16 years."

LDB: "What sort of assignments have you had with Osceola?"

KB: "I started out in patrol, um, I spent several years in the traffic unit. I uh, spent about a year and a half in a tactical unit. Plain clothes, and then back to patrol when I was promoted. And uh, most recently still in patrol as collateral duty handling the canine."

LDB: "Tell us a little bit about that collateral duty handling a canine. How long have you been doing that for the Osceola County Sheriff's Office?"

KB: "Since 2005. Um, it's not my primary duty. My primary duty is a patrol supervisor. And the collateral duty is handling the canine, on call, as needed basis."

LDB: "Would this be canine Bones?"

KB: "Yes ma'am."

LDB: "You have been bones handler since 2005?"

KB:" Yes ma'am."

LDB: "Do you know the background of Bones prior to your obtaining him?"

KB: "Yes ma'am, I do."

LDB: "And, where did Bones come from?"

KB: "The Orange County Sheriff's Office."

LDB: "Prior to the arrival of Bones at the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, did you yourself do any training?"

KB: "Yes ma'am, it was a kind of hobby for me to train dogs in protection, obedience and tracking."

LDB: "Your Honor, may we have a moment?"

HJBP: "You may."

(sidebar)

HJBP: "You may proceed."

LDB: "Sergeant Brewer, we were talking about any sort of background or training you had with the handling of canines prior to the arrival of Bones at the Osceola County Sheriff's Office in 2005."

KB: "Correct."

LDB: "I missed you answer because of the delay but, can you repeat that for me?"

KB: "I did canine training as kind of a hobby which was protection, obedience and article tracking.

LDB: "Independent of your position with the Osceola County Sheriff?"

KB: "That's correct."

LDB: "So in 2005 when the Sheriff's office acquired Bones, were you the person initially assigned to train with him?"

KB: "Yes."

LDB: "Was it your understanding at that point that Bones himself, had already undergone a period of training?"

KB: "That's correct."

LDB: "Are you familiar with Jason Forgey of the Orange County Sheriff's Office?"

KB: *smile* "Yes ma'am."

LDB: "When Bones was acquired by the Osceola County Sheriff did his paperwork uh, training paperwork go with him?"

KB: "Yes. I have everything that Deputy Forgey had provided to me for his training. Yes ma'am."

LDB: "Are you the individual who is then responsible for maintaining the record of, whether it's veterinary records, or training records for canine Bones?"

KB: "Yes."

LDB: "Are you the individual who has created those records since 2005 during the training and operative operation outcomes with Bones?"

KB: "Yes ma'am."

LDB: "If I may approach the witness."

HJBP: "You may."

LDB: "I will be showing you what is marked as OJ marked for identification."

(LDB brings evidence to JB to look it over Jose smiles and hands it back to LDB)

LDB: "I'll have you take a look at this composite exhibit and tell me if those are true and accurate copies of, the majority of Bones records excluding veterinary records."

(witness thumbs through papers)

KB: "Yes ma'am."

 

[RammerJammer]

LDB is dotting every i, crossing every t. Painstaking but necessary.

 

[tehcloser]

WHAT? I can SEE her!

There must be another Casey that they are watching....................

 

[truthsleuth]

Just a heads-up: I need to stop transcribing by 10 am to get ready to go to an appointment. If any WSer can pick up on transcribing then, that would be great. I'll be back at about 2 and can pick up the work again.

Thanks!