A review by toasted_coconut
Murder In The Family by Burl Barer
5.0
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers** This books contains a lot of details about the trial. If you're a trial junkie you'll love it! The author includes information and arguments for many of the motions. For some readers this will be boring but if you like learning the legal details behind trials then this book is for you.
**Warning, this book is about the sexual assault and murder of a mother and her two young daughters.**
As a reminder, this crime and trial took place in the late 80's. This is during the early days of DNA evidence.Much of the physical evidence is hair, fibers and blood typing/antigens etc.
What wasn't presented in the trial was much of the defendants' background. The details are disturbing with physical and sexual abuse throughout the defendants' relationships. Early on in the defendants life he was abusing animals and committing petty crimes.
The FBI behaviour science unit was consulted and they provided a profile to aide the police in their investigation. If you're familiar with profiling during that era you'll know although law enforcement had embraced profiling the courts were very apprehensive to allow such expert testimony.
The book is very thorough and interesting. Anybody with a interest in profiling will find this book just as engrossing as any John Douglas book.
There is something oddly unique about murders that take place in Alaska, and this crime is no different. Maybe its the cold, darkness or isolation.
Interesting Fact: If you're a fan of Netflix's "MindHunter" , in season 1 we're are first introduced to character "Detective Jim Barney". He's a black detective from the south that interviews for a job with the F.B.I. in the new behavioral science unit. He is passed over for the job in season 1. But in season 2 Detective Barney is back to help the profilers with the Atlanta Child Murders. That character is supposedly a composite of the real detective turned FBI profiler, Judson Ray. Mr. Ray is the actual profiler that would help Alsaka law enforcement with a profile of the killer. The state prosecutor would later seek his advice on how to cross-exam the accused as well.
**Warning, this book is about the sexual assault and murder of a mother and her two young daughters.**
As a reminder, this crime and trial took place in the late 80's. This is during the early days of DNA evidence.Much of the physical evidence is hair, fibers and blood typing/antigens etc.
What wasn't presented in the trial was much of the defendants' background. The details are disturbing with physical and sexual abuse throughout the defendants' relationships. Early on in the defendants life he was abusing animals and committing petty crimes.
The FBI behaviour science unit was consulted and they provided a profile to aide the police in their investigation. If you're familiar with profiling during that era you'll know although law enforcement had embraced profiling the courts were very apprehensive to allow such expert testimony.
The book is very thorough and interesting. Anybody with a interest in profiling will find this book just as engrossing as any John Douglas book.
There is something oddly unique about murders that take place in Alaska, and this crime is no different. Maybe its the cold, darkness or isolation.
Interesting Fact: If you're a fan of Netflix's "MindHunter" , in season 1 we're are first introduced to character "Detective Jim Barney". He's a black detective from the south that interviews for a job with the F.B.I. in the new behavioral science unit. He is passed over for the job in season 1. But in season 2 Detective Barney is back to help the profilers with the Atlanta Child Murders. That character is supposedly a composite of the real detective turned FBI profiler, Judson Ray. Mr. Ray is the actual profiler that would help Alsaka law enforcement with a profile of the killer. The state prosecutor would later seek his advice on how to cross-exam the accused as well.