Reversed! Conviction based primarily on bloodhound matching man's scent to crime

[Liberal_in_LA]

Conviction reversed in dog scent case
Bloohound trio matched man's scent to crime scene
Updated: Wednesday, 22 Sep 2010, 3:36 PM EDT

DALLAS (AP) - The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has acquitted a convicted murderer imprisoned primarily because a trio of bloodhounds allegedly matched his scent to the crime scene.

The appeals court reversed the 2007 guilty verdict against Richard Winfrey Sr. on Wednesday, ruling the evidence was legally insufficient to convict.

The main evidence in the 2004 murder of Murray Burr was a positive scent identification from three bloodhounds named Quincy, James Bond and Clue. The dogs belong to former Fort Bend Sheriff's Deputy Keith Pikett, who retired this year.

Pikett is a defendant in at least three lawsuits from men saying they were wrongly jailed after his dogs linked them to crimes they did not commit.

He did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpps/news/strange/conviction-reversed-in-dog-scent-case-_3588877

[blondeatlast]

1. Let's see the DP advocates appear on this thread...

k/r

[davidinalameda]

2. the courts convicted partially based on bloodhounds?

I can't wrap my mind around how fucked up that is

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. Convicted on the evidence of a dog's opinion taken over the facts in the case

...by a jury of your peers. That has to hurt.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. That's ridiculous.

I can see scent tracking dogs being used to establish probable cause, but actual evidence?

[MadMaddie]

5. If there was other evidence and the bloodhounds were supporting

the hard evidence I could see that but if the bloodhounds is the only thing the Prosecutor used...well was the case even a case?

[valerief]

6. Freakin' Texas. Sheesh. (Not all Texans, I know!). nt