Hey, DeeDee. Glad to be here...as long as I last, anyway. Pyrate that I am....
UK has a lot of good info, but I may not be smart enough to see those fine distinctions in patterns of injury he does.
The lack of defensive injuries makes it clear to me she was unconscious when garroted. That puts the head blow first, IMO, as well.
I still think the paintbrush was inserted before it was broken to use as a handle. Think about it, though really it's just speculation: to break the paintbrush into three pieces, down to the [missing] tip, the eventual "handle", and the brush end left in the paint tray, would necessarily leave three choices for insertion. The brush end should have been tested for blood, and surely it was, so I'm eliminating it on faith--I know, I know, but if we don't assume SOME things, we may as well fold and all go home. That leaves the handle, which also should have been tested for blood, and surely it was. Now I know we could just not know about those test results, if there was blood on that "handle", but again, with nothing else to go by, I'm assuming there was no blood on that "handle", which would have been short for insertion after breaking and more difficult to insert, as well. Since there is no indication JonBenet fought anyone who was molesting her in such a painful attack, I don't know what the purpose of making this more difficult for the perp would be.
So that leaves the "tip", which I believe was taken from the home because it did have blood on it. It would have been rather much shorter, as well, to insert AFTER a break. It just doesn't make sense to me to break this brush down before the insertion, whatever reason one believes this was done.
Yes, I agree that it was in all likelihood something/wood from the paintbrush. Some speculated it was powder from gloves, but that's so long ago, I can't make that argument now. But I differ on the PLURAL of "wood shardS". I have seen no source but Carnes state there were multiple SHARDS of this birefrigent found. Carnes got some evidence badly construed, and she only had what was SAID in depositions. She never saw the case file, never heard any "experts" go through a criminal trial process of admitting and testifying about evidence, etc. All by way of saying that all sources I saw before Carnes' OPINION said there was a small piece, as in singular, of birefringent material. Maybe there are other sources and I missed them, so I'd be happy to learn about them, and thanks in advance.