Private Investigators are essential in criminal investigations
The great law enforcement agencies of this country work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute crimes. Although often understaffed or lacking resources, police detectives are dedicated to bringing justice to their respective communities. This is something that everyone who works in the justice system takes a great deal of pride in.
There are no shortages of jaw-dropping criminal activities to keep detectives busy. In the wake of the Aurora, Colorado movie theatre shooting, whereby the suspected shooter James Eagan Holmes, allegedly massacred 12 people during a screening of the new Batman movie on July 20th, this is especially apparent. However, not all criminals are so easy to detect. James made it easy on police by wearing tactical clothing.
Other criminals are elusive, such as the so-called “Barefoot Bandit”, also known as Colton Harris-Moore. Moore has finally been sentence to 6 ½ years in prison resulting from a two-year-long crime spree, during which he broke into homes and stole boats and cars across several states.
Unfortunately, while our justice system does its best to delicately balance the opposing forces of due process and society’s need for retribution, sometimes it’s off the mark. Every so often, someone slips through the cracks and gets convicted of a crime they did not convict.
Such is the well-know case of Christopher Ochoa, who spent 12 years in prison for raping and murdering a 20-year-old restaurant manager in Austin, Texas. Under scrutiny and pressure from interrogating officers (who interrogated Ochoa for 12 hours straight), Ochoa confessed to the crime – which effectively sealed the case against him. Many years later it was proved that he was innocent with the help of DNA evidence and a confession of the actual killer.
Kirk Noble Bloodsworth has a similar story. He was convicted in 1985 of a rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl in Maryland. Bloodsworth maintained his innocence while several eyewitnesses insisted that he was seen with the victim on the day of her death. Bloodsworth was able to take advantage of the then-emerging new science of DNA. He was released after nearly nine years in prison.
Fortunately there are savvy defence lawyers out there who often seek the help of a Private Investigator to seek out the truth. As Manhattan private investigator Darrin Giglio says, “Many of our private investigators are former police officers and adept at conducting thorough investigations. They are able to take a fresh new look at your case when an otherwise well-intentioned police department has developed tunnel vision.”
It’s important to have someone on your team if you are facing a menacing criminal investigation. A wrongful conviction robs you of years of your life. It takes you away from your family and home. Despite being later exonerated, many wrongfully convicted Americans still face debilitating ostracism in their communities.
If you are facing some uncomfortable scrutiny in a criminal investigation, get yourself a lawyer. There is no reason to get yourself in the same situation as Ochoa and Bloodsworth (as well as many other innocent Americans). A good defence attorney will be able to guide you in your dealing with law enforcement and if necessary, hire a Private Investigator to prove your case.
