That’s completely fair, you’re entitled to your interpretation. But just to clarify, this isn’t about some dramatic Vannatter-style frame job conspiracy theory. To me, it’s about objective failures in procedure that would raise red flags in any case, regardless of who’s on trial.
Proctor wasn’t just a random rogue actor; he was the lead investigator who kept John O’Keefe’s shirt, potentially one of the most important piece of physical evidence,for six weeks outside the chain of custody before it ever made it to the lab. That’s not something to wave away, IMO. The state has the burden of proof, and when they mishandle critical evidence, the credibility of that proof is in question. You don’t have to believe in an orchestrated cover-up to acknowledge that this investigation was sloppy, biased, and deeply compromised. If this were happening to someone you loved, wouldn’t you want the same scrutiny? MOO