Just to move this discussion to its own thread, as it seems to be seriously derailing another...
I have several issues with the serrated knife said to belong to Echols, and said to have been used to cause various circular wounds, issues above and beyond the lack of evidence it was ever present at the crime scene, or was the same one said to be owned by Echols.
Firstly, as I have previously pointed out, the wounds do not match the knife on all points. I won't repeat myself, there, except to say I'd expect all, or at least a vast majority, of marks on the bodies to match the teeth of a blade, if that blade is being held up as a weapon in a murder case.
Secondly, I cannot see how a convex compass could by blunt force create an x-shaped laceration on skin with minimal bruising, and also leave a ring from an edge lower on the knife than the compass, where both injuries are present and overlapping.
Thirdly - and using a knife I have lying around home which is not serrated but has a similar length handle and blade.. the physical logistics of holding a blade specifically in a position to strike with sufficient force to cause any kind of laceration doesn't add up all that well IMO.. For one, why not simply use the pointy end? For two, holding a knife that way is awkward, see point 1. Thirdly, if the compass had shattered on impact (in order to then leave compassless circular marks) would there not be bits of compass plastic or glass somewhere? If it didn't shatter, but simply popped out, would a killer think, in the heat of an attack, to pick it up? Perhaps, but it's a stretch..
If there are actually no knife wounds, as many experts have said, why would anyone take a whopping great knife to a murder, and then use the blunt end to bludgeon the victim, and scrape their skin? That's just a really peculiar usage for a large knife at a murder scene. And IMO, not very likely.
Also, and I am no expert in blunt force trauma so anyone who is is welcome to chime in on this -- but isn't the x-shaped wound on SB's head also very similar to wounds well documented as 'typical' to cross-head screwdrivers (like Phillips or Frearson..)?
Here's a few pics of typical neatly x-shaped wounds caused by screwdrivers:
http://sweet.laxallstars.com/files/2011/10/DSCN2540-600x448.jpg
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ec/9c/f5/ec9cf5d7d958069a443029e416f9fed4.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78397778@N06/10797781644
Compare to:
http://www.documentingreality.com/f...is-three-crime-scene-photos-vlc-snap-sb07.png
The x is extremely neat and symmetrical, much more so than any laceration by a blunt object I've ever seen.
^ Here I am attempting alternate explanations for the x mark.. and wondering - if the knife butt didn't make those circular marks, what did?
I have several issues with the serrated knife said to belong to Echols, and said to have been used to cause various circular wounds, issues above and beyond the lack of evidence it was ever present at the crime scene, or was the same one said to be owned by Echols.
Firstly, as I have previously pointed out, the wounds do not match the knife on all points. I won't repeat myself, there, except to say I'd expect all, or at least a vast majority, of marks on the bodies to match the teeth of a blade, if that blade is being held up as a weapon in a murder case.
Secondly, I cannot see how a convex compass could by blunt force create an x-shaped laceration on skin with minimal bruising, and also leave a ring from an edge lower on the knife than the compass, where both injuries are present and overlapping.
Thirdly - and using a knife I have lying around home which is not serrated but has a similar length handle and blade.. the physical logistics of holding a blade specifically in a position to strike with sufficient force to cause any kind of laceration doesn't add up all that well IMO.. For one, why not simply use the pointy end? For two, holding a knife that way is awkward, see point 1. Thirdly, if the compass had shattered on impact (in order to then leave compassless circular marks) would there not be bits of compass plastic or glass somewhere? If it didn't shatter, but simply popped out, would a killer think, in the heat of an attack, to pick it up? Perhaps, but it's a stretch..
If there are actually no knife wounds, as many experts have said, why would anyone take a whopping great knife to a murder, and then use the blunt end to bludgeon the victim, and scrape their skin? That's just a really peculiar usage for a large knife at a murder scene. And IMO, not very likely.
Also, and I am no expert in blunt force trauma so anyone who is is welcome to chime in on this -- but isn't the x-shaped wound on SB's head also very similar to wounds well documented as 'typical' to cross-head screwdrivers (like Phillips or Frearson..)?
Here's a few pics of typical neatly x-shaped wounds caused by screwdrivers:
http://sweet.laxallstars.com/files/2011/10/DSCN2540-600x448.jpg
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ec/9c/f5/ec9cf5d7d958069a443029e416f9fed4.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78397778@N06/10797781644
Compare to:
http://www.documentingreality.com/f...is-three-crime-scene-photos-vlc-snap-sb07.png
The x is extremely neat and symmetrical, much more so than any laceration by a blunt object I've ever seen.
^ Here I am attempting alternate explanations for the x mark.. and wondering - if the knife butt didn't make those circular marks, what did?