On the topic of circumstantial evidence, circular reasoning and the logical fallacy of speculating away the facts one by one.
There is a circumstantial web of facts which has no acceptable answer, and has cascading consequences, which falls out of the debunking of the Traverse incident.
The CW clearly established Karen did not break her tail light in the 1mph reversing incident. The tail light did not even contact John's car. The defence also implicitly conceded that Karen drove at high speed in reverse outside 34F. (They just said it was 20-30 secs later).
These two obvious findings have significant consequences by inference.
First it proves the tail light was broken before the 5am hour and thus by inference at 34F where the first 6 or 7 pieces were recovered same day. The defence does not claim any other time or place the tail light was broken, so the jury cannot speculate some other explanation.
Secondly, Law Enforcement cannot have broken the tail light and planted the first 6-7 pieces as they did not have possession of the vehicle at 12.32, or 5am, or 8am when the damage was documented by 2 videos and witnesses and the defendant's own statement. By the time the Lexus arrives at the Sallport after 5.30pm, the SERT team of 8 people is already well into its search and will find the first pieces - all photographed and documented, under the snow just 10 mins later. Not possible they were planted, and that really disposes of the case.
I understand what the defence is trying to do with the "no collision" argument, but there is an obviously logical fallacy in ARCCA ignoring the digital and physical evidence of the crash - the high speed reverse (uncontested), the tail light debris from the lexus at the scene, the debris on the victim and torn off shoe (replicated in Dr Wolfe's own tests), and rather using an end medical conclusion to try to prove in court the evidence was planted, which is effectively what Dr Rentschler ended up claiming. IMO this is simply circular reasoning. Perhaps if Rentschler were able to run exhaustive testing so he could observe many different set ups and variables I could buy into the idea a bit more. But not on the scant testing conducting.
One of the issues is the injury by tail light is so unusual in the first place, I don't see how MEs can speak conclusively to it, which is why the original ME did not. Especially i don't see how an ME can say 'oh that's animal bites' based on experience, unless they also saw dozens of tail light injuries in their career. How does an ME even know what a tail light injury in this case should look like? This is of course why the original ME is inconclusive on the arm injury, whereas the paid defence experts are all sure it can't be.
It's not 'reasonable doubt' that the CW ME is inconclusive though - that is the point of the broader circumstantial evidence. The ME does not have the option to reverse a tail light into a human arm at 24 mph and see if the tail light breaks and what injuries are suffered. Ironically that is the piece of the picture Dr Wolfe filled in - namely broken tail light, debris in shirt, shoe off, yet no contact to the leg or body.
MOO